As Time Goes By
by benhoffman
Summary: UPDATED! What happens those extraordinary people from the 4077th once they leave Korea? Is it HM or anything else? ..not 1 2 spoil!
1. Homecoming

The usual, I don't own MASH (although I'd like too) and the character aren't mine, but the story is.

This one picks up where G, F & A leaves off, R/R please, good, bad or not to benhoffmanihug.co.nz, email checked lots each day so response will come moocho pronto.

Said President Bush "[I'd] like to see Hawkeye and HotLips get together:" and not being one to argue with an idiot (as Frank Burns said) – I'll do as he would like.

* * *

**MASH 4077, UNITED NATIONS FORCES ABROAD (****KOREA****): ****JULY 29, 1953****.**

"So where to Cap?" asked the pilot as the chopper lifted off from the pad

"Uh, Kimpo" said Hawkeye, "…home"

He noticed the message BJ had spelled out in rocks for him

"Goodbye Beej" he whispered, Hawkeye stopped thinking for a second as the chopper banked to his right, and it made his stomach jump.

Hawkeye stared down at the jeep carrying Margaret to the 8063rd and BJ on his bike….why? he wondered….why was it _so hard_ for him to tell her how he felt?

Sure, she probably felt the same way, but he had so much time to let her know. They worked together, drank and shot the breeze at the officers club most nights and saw each other for nearly three years.

After whiny Frank Burns was sent stateside it should have been easy to let Margaret – who had softened and matured so much – know about his feelings.

Once she divorced Donald; it should have been a walk in the park; for something existed there. They both knew it but why they didn't say something to each other was anyone's guess.

Hawkeye watched at the hills went rolling by, he resigned himself to the fact that it was too late, he'd let the one person he truly loved get away.

Hopefully not for ever, he thought

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****

**MILL ****VALLEY ****GENERAL ****HOSPITAL****, ****MILL VALLEY****, ****CALIF****: ****AUGUST 2, 1953****.******

An elated Dr B. J. Hunnicutt sat at his desk in the surgical ward. The former army surgeon had been appointed as chief surgeon of the day shift at Mill Valley General Hospital.

His experience in Korea made him the perfect candidate. It was great to be home he told himself. After nearly a year away from home, being home was the best feeling in the world.

Although he'd missed his daughter's birthday and things had changed since he was drafted, the basic concept of American life was the same. Just like he remembered it.

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**THE O'REILLY FARM, ****OTTUMWA****, ****IOWA****: ****AUGUST 5, 1953****.**

Radar stood on the porch, the fresh smell of hay and grass filled his nose. The grass was still fresh with dew from the night's rain. The farm seemed to stretch for miles around him, the rolling green pastures continued as far as the eye could see.

He thought about the war, the gang from the 4077th and how good it was to be home, even though he'd left before the war ended.

The animals stood in the fields, just waiting for him to make his move. He saw his Uncle Ed's Studebaker in the driveway, he missed his Uncle Ed.

Radar wondered about Patti, that nice Lt. Nurse he'd met at Kimpo, where was she, what was she doing.

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**BOSTON ****MERCY ****HOSPITAL****, ****BOSTON****, MASS: ****AUGUST 7, 1953****.**

Charles sat at his desk, sunlight poring in from the large window behind him. It warmed his bald head. He chuckled as he signed surgical reports, he'd finally made it.

He glanced over to the desk sign that proudly stated in big letters "Dr. CHARLES EMMERSON WINCHESTER, III, M.D. – CHIEF OF THORACIC SURGERY"

Score! He thought to himself as he leaned back in the big soft chair the came with the job. Just as he began to be truly happy, the intercom buzzed "Dr. Winchester, you have a call on line 2"

"Damn!" he spat, probably some poor sloppy intern down in the emergency ward wanting his brilliant expertise on a surgical consult.

Figures he thought, the lower to the ground you get in the hospital, the more degenerative the people on that floor became. Emergency was on the ground floor, figured Charles mussed as he picked up the phone.

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**RESIDENCE OF DR. SHERMAN T. POTTER, ****HANNIBAL****, ****MISSOURI****: ****AUGUST 8, 1953****.**

Sherman rubbed his eyes and hung up his stethoscope. He grabbed his weathered old fishing hat and tackle box, Mildred gave him a plastic bag with his lunch in it.

Potter kissed her and grabbed his fishing rod, 'Doc Potter' had ceased for day, and, as Sherm saw it, unless something urgent came up, he would spend the next few hours down at the ol' fishin hole with his lunch and his daily allowance of Kentucky Sippin' Whiskey.

He thought of the night when Radar told him he decided to leave (again), "I told you to _sip_ it, 'oh I did sir' "he muttered and smiled.

It was good to be home.

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**FORT RUCKER****, ****ALABAMA****, ****BASE****HOSPITAL****: ****AUGUST 9, 1953****.**

A jittery newly-promoted Captain of the Nursing Corps headed down the white hallway, the smell of disinfectant and industrial strength cleaners swilled round her head.

She was looking for the office of her new CO, a Col. M. Houlihan, to whom she knew nothing about, except that she served in Korea with a "MASH" unit, what's one of them?

Down the hall, Margaret sat at her desk, she was checking patient reports. In front of her were three photos: one of her parents, Capt. Jean and Col. Alvin Houlihan, a photo of her OCS class and the last one, well….that one was special.

There was a knock at the door, she looked up to see a Captain standing there, looking as white as a ghost. "Can I help you?" she asked.

"I'm Capt. Jane Phillip, I was told to report to you when I got here" the Captain said, waiting for an invitation to enter.

"Well?" snapped Margaret "don't just stand there, get in here!" she watched as Captain Phillip came in and sat down, a real nervous nelly.

"Sorry, I was told to always wait for an invitation to enter when in the presence of a superior officer" she said.

"Good, that's very military" Margaret said, "don't look so scared, I was just expecting someone else that's all"

She looked back at her special photo for a sec …. It was of the 4077th staff outside the swamp, her hand resting on Hawkeye's shoulder.

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**THE OFFICE OF DR. B. F. PIERCE, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: ****AUGUST 9, 1953****.**

"See you next week" said the tall, thin Hawkeye as he handed a patients chart to the Nurse, he signed something waved under his nose and looked beyond, into the waiting room

There were only a few patients, mostly seniors and grandmothers "good, I still have my touch" he chuckled to himself, examining the patient board outside his office.

"Mrs. Morgan" said the nurse at the front desk "the doctor will see you now" the kindly old woman with soft grey hair stirred from doze as another nurse handed him the patient chart.

Hawkeye escorted her into his office, where she took the seat opposite him. Pierce sat down and gazed past her to the photo of the 4077th staff on the wall behind her.

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**BOSTON GENERAL ****HOSPITAL****, ****BOSTON****, MASS: ****AUGUST 9, 1953****.**

"THAT'S ALL!" bellowed an enraged Trapper John McIntyre "You expect me, the Chief of General Surgery to run a department on _that_ kind of money?"

He listened for a second and then retorted "Listen pal? I don't care, I've seen kids getting a 'My First Doctor' set with that kind of money, but not here, not a REAL hospital…..you've lost the plot, good day to you sir!"

He slammed down the phone and pressed the intercom "Sharon! Boil some coffee, we're not finished yet!" Trapper spat out and leaned back in his chair, it was good to have such power and prestige that this job came with, but, what an admin nightmare.

Trap missed the simple life, like the one middle sized town doctor Hawkeye had. He picked up his phone and began flicking thorough his rolodex.

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**OFFICE OF DR B. F. PIERCE, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: ****AUGUST 9, 1953****.**

"Hawkeye?" asked Mrs. Morgan, in a tone of a concerned friend "what's wrong?"

Hawk jumped back into life with a start, "oh, nothing" he said, "I was just thinking about someone"

A nurse stuck her in the door, "I'm sorry to disturb you Dr. Pierce, but there's someone on the phone from Boston General" and with that, she vanished.

'Boston General?' thought Hawkeye, who could that be? He picked up the phone.

"Hawkeye here , can I help you?" he asked, a very familiar voice returned the greeting. "Trapper! How are you? … uh huh, say, can I call you back? I've still got people waiting to have their pockets emptied, ok? .... thanks Trap"

Pierce put the phone down and turned back to his patient, still sitting quietly.

"Sorry, anyway, back to you" Hawk said in a friendly tone.

"No," insisted Mrs. Morgan in a firm tone "Hawkeye, who is she?" she asked in a soft voice.

Hawk was taken aback, "what makes you think it's a woman I'm thinking about?" he asked, inquisitive

Mrs. Morgan leaned forward "when I saw that photo you were staring at" she said, beckoning to the picture behind here "I also that beautiful young blonde with her hand on your shoulder".

He sat upright, she was good, very good.

"Now sonny, you gon' tell me, because when you've been round as long as I have, you get smart see?" Mrs. Morgan said

Sighing, Hawkeye looked at the photo, then Mrs. Morgan, then the ground and back at Mrs. Morgan "she's someone I met in Korea….someone very special"

His patient smiled and looked him right in the eye, "well then Doctor Hawk, I'd say I can come back tomorrow, you on the otha' hand are gon' close up for the day and go find the young blonde before it's too late"

Hawkeye sighed, for an old woman that hadn't left town in thirty odd years, she was good, and boy, did she have it right this time.

So, taking the old woman's advice, he quickly pawned off his three remaining cases to his dad and set about finding Margaret Houlihan, but where on earth could she be?


	2. Settling In

Standard disclaimer applies.

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**WINCHESTER**** RESIDENCE, ****BOSTON****, MASS: ****AUGUST 10, 1953****.**

Charles hung up the phone. Some knucklehead graduate from…of all places, Southwestern. The hospital wanted him _again_, for God sakes he thought, can't anyone do anything right.

He put down his cognac and grabbed his coat. "I'm not there to come running at their every beck and call" he muttered.

Besides, he had a date with that nice girl he met at the country club yesterday; hopefully this won't take more than….he looked at his watch, an hour.

Despite popular belief in the aristocratic circles of the town, Charles Emmerson Winchester the Third would someday sire an offspring, if those Korean mumps didn't get the better of him.

Who, me? He thought as he headed out the door. Stupid intern, stupid Southwestern med school, nothing ever right came out of Texas, he concluded.

Although Charles liked being out of the Swamp and the 4077th, he did have some fond memories of MASH and Korea. Despite how wonderful it was to be in "a real hospital with research facilities" it did bring some drawbacks.

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**O'REILLY FARM, ****OTTUMWA****, ****IOWA****: ****AUGUST 11, 1953******

Radar sat at the kitchen table, he flicked thorough the phone book. The house was fairly old, with old furniture and a big '50s style TV cabinet in one corner of the den. On the walls hung pictures of the family, Radar, Uncle Ed and his mom.

Dishes were soaking in the sink, those really should be washed he thought. The bright sunshine bathed the entire room with that country feel.

Radar sighed, he couldn't find a trace of Patti in the phone book, it figured he thought, the one chance he gets to meet someone special, it up and vanishes.

Maybe he'd lost the touch the Corps of Signals instilled in him, he thought and picked up the phone and dialed the operator.

"Hello? Sparky" instantly realizing what he'd said "yes, operator, it's Radar, and before you ask, yes I'm back".

It was good to live in a small town, where everyone knows everyone else, except that old lady who lived at the end of his road, with the many, many cats.

"I'd like a number for Haven, H-A-V-E-N, Lancaster, Missouri".

Radar promised Patti that he'd look her up when he got home, and with all things going to plan, he was about to make good on his word.

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**MILL ****VALLEY ****GENERAL ****HOSPITAL****, ****MILL****VALLEY****, ****CALIFORNIA****.****AUGUST 12, 1953****.******

BJ slumped down onto a seat in the call room, he'd just come out of 2 hours of surgery, how could someone do so much damage with a bottle rocket he wondered, and didn't really want to know the answer.

He'd only been home from Korea for a few weeks and didn't really want any reminders of being there, if he could help it.

The clock on the wall read 5:21pm, well, only another few minutes and I can go home, and he wasn't on call that evening, he'd arrange for a sitter and spend a night with Peg. Just like old times.

The phone rang, it was someone from the Emergency Room, he was needed on a consult, sigh.

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**FORT RUCKER****, ****ALABAMA****, QUARTERS OF COL. MARGARET HOULIHAN: ****AUGUST 12, 1953****.**

Margaret sighed; she took off her lab coat, shiny eagle proudly displayed on the collar. It had been a long day, too long. At least there was no more Korea, no more MASH and no more stupid antics of Pierce / Trapper / Hunnicutt.

God how she missed him – as much as she hated his lack of Army morale, unmilitary behavior and constant hooch hoarding, she knew that he was something very special.

But he's gone, back to Maine she assumed, back to his cozy civilian practice. Not her, she'd re-upped for another six months as a career army brat. She'd taken the assignment at Fort Rucker because it was somewhere new.

The cold, hard way of Army life was beginning to dawn on her, a memo circulated to all staff mentioned a group of advisors going to support the government of "Vietnam" – where was that?

If it was anything like the "aid" to the Koreans, she wanted no part of it.

Maybe it was time to get out of the Army, onto a real hospital; she sighed and lay down on her bunk.

Margaret couldn't help noticing the photo of the 4077th on her nightstand.

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**RESIDENCE OF DR. SHERMAN T. POTTER, ****HANNIBAL****, ****MISSOURI****: ****AUGUST 13, 1953****.**

The former Colonel sat on his front porch, the rambling old home perched nicely to face the warm sun, with any luck, it would last longer than mother nature intended, which couldn't be much longer/

In the distance, he could hear a car, more work for ol' doctor Potter? he thought, hopefully not. No, it was only the mailman making his daily 3 mile drive from town.

Sherm looked up as the mailman waved to him "morning Doc" he said, depositing a stack of mail into the mailbox.

He was hust about to get up and see what the postal stork had bought. Aww, beaver biscuits, the phone's began a' ringing.

"Who could that be?" he grumbled, Mildred was off with the grandkids till later so hopefully he could get a dash of painting in before heading into the office.

"Hello?" Potter answered

"Oh, sir, mail's here" someone said, before Sherman even had the thought to think about who it was, he replied.

"oh, thanks Radar" he hung up…..wait a second!, "_Radar?_". What in the name of Sam Hill was _he_ doing round these parts?

Potter dashed outside, and sure enough, there was Radar, pulling up the driveway in his uncle Ed's 1951 Studebaker, steam rising from under the hood.

"RADAR" he bellowed "what on earth are you doing here?"

Radar stepped out and waved his way thorough the cloud of steam shooting out of the engine.

"I was heading up to Lancaster to find an old friend and I noticed on the map that this place is only at ½ hour out of the way…so I thought I'd stop by and see you and Mrs. Colonel Potter"

Sherm gave Radar a hug; it was good to see him after nearly a year. He'd gotten taller and seemed to be on his way to growing up, he was definitely not the person that left the 4077th behind in Korea.

Sherman gave him a slap on the back and beckoned to the house "how about some lunch son? And what on earth took you so long to get here" he asked.

"You must have left three days ago, it's only an hour's drive" the grey haired doctor enquired.

"Ah no sir, I've got to stop for water every ten minutes" he explained, just as he had to Patti at Kimpo, yes, Patti.

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**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: ****AUGUST 17, 1953****.**

Hawkeye sat at the kitchen table, Daniel was busy making breakfast, it was a Saturday and nothing much of anything was happening in Crabapple Cove.

The words of the kindly of Mrs. Morgan still filed his head, he _had_ to find Margaret, but where to start looking?

Daniel put a pile of pancakes on a plate and placed them on the table, he noticed that something was worrying Hawkeye, not being one to let something slide right by, he asked what was wrong.

"Do you remember, err….in my letters" Hawk began, Daniel looked at him.

"Ben, I remember lots of things in your letters, I've got three years worth of them, be a bit more specific son" he said.

"Well…..do you remember that nurse I described, Major Houlihan?" Hawk said, a weight finally off his shoulders.

Daniel began to smile, "Uh-huh, are you trying to tell me what I think you are?"

Pierce sat up, "I might be…are you thinking that I didn't tell Margaret how I felt for three years and now it's too late, and that I'm worrying that I might never be able to find her and end up alone and childless?"

He sighed, that was enough big revelations for one day.

Daniel looked at his son, with a bit of a surprised look on his face, "well….no Hawkeye, not exactly, that is a _bit more _than I was expecting"

Hawkeye looked at his dad, "I know I want to find her, but I'm just not sure where to start"

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**MCINTYRE HOME, ****BOSTON****, MASS: ****AUGUST 19, 1953****.**

**"**WELL!" bellowed Trapper, sitting in his study, charts and books coming out his ears "where do you want me to start?"

He sighed and leaned back in his char "well….I've got budget problems up to here, my kids are moaning I don't spend enough time with them, because boneheads like you won't give me the resources I need to run a surgical department and on top of that…..it's Sunday and I got to drag my work home with me!"

He slammed the phone down, grunted and turned to the door "SHARON! Boil some coffee! We're not finished yet!"

A medium sized Becky McIntyre came in to see what here daddy was so angry about "Daddy, why are you mad?" she said, in a way that only a child can, looking at him with her big blue eyes.

John sighed, "Yeah daddy, and who's Sharon?" a confused Louise McIntyre asked, leaning in the doorway.

Looking rather dumb, Trapper looked at his wife "she's my secretary at the hospital, why do you ask?" he said.

"Because" explained Louise "you just asked 'Sharon' to boil some coffee, and that 'we're' not finished yet….John, is there something you're not telling me?"

"No, no" said Trapper "its just Price, that shithead of a hospital administrator"

"Ooooh!" retorted Becky, "Mommy, daddy said a naughty word!!"

Louise frowned at him, John rubbed his eyes and closed a thick book on his desk "I know sweetie, say, why don't I take you and Kathy out for ice-cream?" he said, bending down to pick her up.

He kissed Louise on the cheek and walked out into the den.

"Good" muttered, "it'll give me time to figure out how to kill Price"

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**HUNNICUTT**** HOME, ****MILL VALLEY****, ****CALIFORNIA****: ****AUGUST 20, 1953****.**

BJ was relaxing in the front yard; he'd been cutting the grass all morning and was taking some time out with his wife.

Erin played in her playpen. BJ was glad to be home, he hadn't seen his family in over three years and he enjoyed being on staff at a _real_ hospital, with _real_ people and this neighborhood was perfect.

He and Peg watched Erin playing, she seemed happy.

"Hey Peg?" he asked, leaning back in the lawn chair "seeing as how I was late home last night, what's say we go to the movies tonight, just the two of us?"

Peg sat up; she leaned over and gave him a big kiss "sure thing BJ".

"You know…" she began, "I know how much you missed Erin's first birthday, and I was thinking now that you're back for good, what about giving her a little brother to play with"

BJ sighed, "Not just now….wait a while".

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**FORT RUCKER****, ****ALABAMA****, OFFICE OF MAJ. GEN. KELLEY: ****AUGUST 22, 1953****.**

The big, white haired General sat behind his large oak desk, medals and ribbons thickly lined his back wall, as did a medical degree from Harvard and a commissioned officer award from the USMA at WestPoint.

Margaret sat on the other side of him, waiting for him to say something. Just seeing this sleazy old coot made her want to run off with Hawkeye even more, he was just like all the other top brass, along comes a nice blonde nurse and they all clamber over each other for a sight of her.

The Colonel still couldn't figure out exactly what she saw in Pierce, but whatever it was, she wanted it.

"Now listen Colonel" the General began, "I'm a veteran….three wars, and I know what kind of crazy ideas vets like yourself get an…."

Margaret cut him off, "what do you mean 'crazy ideas'? You think I'm some kind of messed up 18 year old draftee or something?"

The General tried to get his foot out his mouth, but was jamming it in tighter "Err. ga,a..aaa,, bbbb…yy.." he spluttered out, sounding like Five O'clock Charlie.

Margaret sat up "I know why you asked me here, you heard I wanted to leave, and yes, you're right. I know I could make General some day and be in your position, but at least I won't be a dirty old sleazebag in charge of a base hospital full of young nurses" she seethed at him.

Major General Thomas looked shocked "Dirty…..old……just WHO do you think you're talking to _Colonel_, notice these stars on my shoulder, _I outrank you_, so I'd be very careful to whom you spit abuse at. You never know what I might decide to do" that ought to shut her up, he thought.

She looked at him "I wouldn't worry about what you can do to me, because…. I QUIT – you can shove your stars in your ear, I don't want to hear it!"

Margaret got up, did a 180° on her heel and stormed out as the General tried to splutter something in retaliation.

This was the last straw, she was out of here, and off to find Hawkeye.

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**RESIDENCE OF MS. PATTY HAVEN, ****LANCASTER****, ****MISSOURI****: ****AUGUST 22, 1953****.**

Radar felt like a big blob of Jell-o as he stepped out the car and up to the front porch of the nice little home where Patti lived.

Freshly mowed lawns and colorful gardens surrounded the house, it was something out of a storybook.

He walked up to the front door and knocked, not sure what to expect.

After several seconds, Patti answered.

Radar wasn't sure who se was for a few seconds, the last time he saw her was months ago and this time she wasn't in an USANC uniform.

"Radar!" she yelled "Wow! Is this a surprise, I am sooo glad to see you"

Patti stepped forward and gave Radar a great big hug, he felt like a favorite teddy bear. "Well…..come on in!" she said, gesturing toward the door.

"So?" Patti asked, sitting down on the sofa "what brings you to Lancaster?"

Radar looked at her "well…" He began "you told me to look you up when we got home and here I am".

Patti got up, "would you like some lemonade?" she asked.

"Hmm….oh, sure" said Radar

He wasn't sure how to react, was she after something serious or not, did she want kids, did he???

His head swirled with thoughts.

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**GREYHOUND BUS STATION, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: ****AUGUST 23, 1953****.**

Margaret stepped off the bus, she was in a daze.

She could smell him, Hawkeye was close by. The Colonel had taken a week off to think things thorough. She'd had enough with the Army.

It was getting dark and she wanted to find the Pierce home before it got too cold, the town population sign had quoted 7,258

Even still, it was strange and unfamiliar so she wanted to be safe.

Yes, she though, safe in the skilled hands of "Hawkeye the Sailor Man" as he once put it….although his yellow rubber duckee could wait its turn.

She picked up her two bags and walked to the information desk.

"Excuse me?" she asked the clerk on duty, "you wouldn't have a copy of the phone book I could borrow do you?"

The clerk, without batting an eyelid, grunted to a Bell Atlantic sign with "public phone" written on it, she thanked him and walked away.

"Peters, Preminger, Pierre, ah, Pierce!" She said, busily searching the phone book, "here we go, 'Pierce, Drs. D. J. and B.F., 1250 Seaview Lane, Lobster 8-4247'".

Boy, she thought, 'Seaview Lane' and the phone extension 'Lobster', what a cute little town. She could really settle in here.

Margaret walked outside and hailed a cab.

"Where to?" asked the cab driver "I can't say I've seen you round, from out of town?"

She smiled "yes, I'm visiting a friend, Hawkeye Pierce".

The cabbie shifted gears and drove off, no need to explain her destination.

"Yeah, Dr. Pierce, great guy, you know he just got back from the war. He did a great job on my stomach surgery and my wife told me he's even snagged himself a girl, wow, Hawkeye Pierce, married….that'll be the day!"

Margaret's heart began to do quadruple time, was she too late, did Hawkeye already have someone else….nah, not Hawkeye, surely.

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**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, MAINE: AUGUST 23, 1953.**

"Hawkeye" asked Daniel, who was sitting on the couch. "do you hear that?"

The younger Pierce looked up from adjusting the TV aerial "yes Dad, I do hear that, but who could it be at this hour?"

Hawk looked out the lounge window, the operator hadn't called to tell him that he was needed (911 was ten years away) he saw a cab coming down the road.

"What is it?" asked Daniel, annoyed that the TV had gone kabluooe again

"It's a cab, and wait a minute….." said Hawk, "its turning in here, who on earth could this be?"

Both Pierce men walked to the foyer, the cab pulled into the driveway and killed the engine….

The house was exactly as Margaret had imagined, a large and rambling country estate, with gardens and ferns all around. A deck that ran right around the entire house with great sea views.

She paid the cab driver and stepped out, Hawkeye opened the door to the house and….no, he must be imagining things.

The taxi backed out of the driveway as she ran to Hawkeye and threw his arms around him, Daniel Pierce just stood there, unable to process everything this quick.

"Margaret?" he asked, "what on earth are _you_, of all people, doing here!"

She squeezed him tighter "I needed to see you…" she said, her voice happy and full of vigor.

"I know" said Hawk, "I needed to see you too….."

This made all those horrible times in Korea seem worth it. All the nights they'd spent in the cold, wet tents or when it was too hot to imagine now seemed to have been the price to pay.


	3. Propositions and Decisions

Standard disclaimer.

To avoid possible legal battles, I even asked Santa for my very own MASH set of characters for Christmas, but he's too cheap!  
  
The date of 9/5 (September 5) is the original draft date of the script for "Comrades In Arms"  
  
NB: This chapter has some [in]direct sexual references.

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**BOSTON MERCY HOSPITAL, BOSTON, MASS: AUGUST 25, 1953.**

Charles entered his large office in a daze, things were happening too fast. He'd gone home from work last night a semi-free man and returned engaged with a $487.42 dinner bill.  
  
He sat down at his desk and opened the bottom drawer. He pulled out a 12 year old bottle of scotch and had a gulp.  
  
There were several messages on his desk blotter. He began to thumb thorough them.  
  
Senator Long on his heart surgery, The medical examiner wanting a patient report, His mother, re. Marriage, his father re. Marriage Dr. Webly, general surgery department on board meeting  
  
That's right, thought Charles; he had a board meeting today. With the exception of that, it looked to be a quiet day. He'd call his parents and Senator Long, the coroner could wait.  
  
He was hopeless, wouldn't know an M.D. from DJ

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**BOSTON GENERAL HOSPITAL, BOSTON, MASS: AUGUST 25, 1953.  
**  


Trapper was playing mini-golf and enjoying a relaxing morning. He didn't have any scheduled surgery until 1:00pm and that new guy from Boston Mercy was handling the emergency room that morning.  
  
He still couldn't figure out why he'd been transferred to General from Mercy but it didn't really faze him, it wasn't his problem.  
  
The intercom buzzed, it was Sharon "Dr. McIntyre, Price is on the phone, should I boil some coffee?" she asked, jokingly.  
  
Trap sunk the ball and picked up the phone "No, just put him on" he said

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**SUNNY RIVER MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY, SYRACUSE, NEW YORK: AUGUST 25, 1953.  
  
**

Two huge orderlies dragged a heavily sedated Sam Flagg, drooling on his straightjacket and trying to bite off his tongue, into a rubber room and locked the door.  
  
They walked off, "oh brother!" one of them commented "whatever caused that guy to flip out sure spooked 'em good"

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**HUNNICUTT HOME, MILL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA: AUGUST 25, 1953.**

****

Erin was fast asleep, it was late. BJ and Peg were watching Walter Cronkite, as they snuggled Peg looked into BJ eye's and sighed.  
  
"BJ have you thought anymore about what I said?" she asked, BJ who was glued to the late news took a second or two click.  
  
"Hmmm" he said, "yes, and I think you're right - we should have more kids"

BJ said that it was awful in Korea, not getting to see Erin take her steps, have her first birthday or even her second. He concluded that he wanted to see at least one of his kids do all those things.

------------

**PIERCE HOME , CRABAPPLE COVE, MAINE: AUGUST 26, 1953.  
**

Margaret sat on the porch nursing her coffee. The sunlight reflected off the ocean and the fresh smell of sea air filled her lungs.  
  
There was a gentle breeze and the warm sunshine melted away into the background. This place was perfect, after soo long in a canvas tent in Korea, she finally had a place to call home..well, soon.  
  
Hawkeye was taking a shower; Daniel had disappeared into town again, Margaret thought it was a bit strange but didn't really question it.  
  
After a few minutes she could hear the water being turned off and went inside to start on breakfast.  
  
The beautiful old home was built with wide open spaces and was perfect for raising a family. The big bay windows in the den looked out to the ocean and the large fireplace was great for curling up in front of at night.  
  
Hawkeye came downstairs and kissed her good morning, he could smell bacon and eggs.  
  
Life seemed great for Hawkeye Pierce, he had breakfast, a fantastic practice in town, and his Margaret had arrived, so, he thought, it was time to speak up.  
  
"Uh..Margaret, there's something I uh...something I need to uh...need to tell you" he said, with a twinge of nervous in his voice.  
  
She held a finger to his lips "ssssh" she said, "upstairs".  
  
He giggled and looked at her "I was always told never to it on a full stomach"  
  
Margaret frowned, "Pierce, you still haven't changed".

------------

**O'REILLY FARM, OTTUMWA, IOWA: AUGUST 26, 1953.**

Radar and Patti lay on the piles of hay in the hay barn; the sweet country breeze filled the air.  
  
"Do you want to get married someday?" asked Patti, leaning over and giving Radar a hug.  
  
He wasn't sure what do say, did he want to get married? "You mean with like kids and everythin'?"  
  
Patti looked at Radar; she could tell he was nervous "Relax, not for a year or two yet" she said, giving him a big wet kiss.

Wow, Radar thought. He hadn't been home long and already things were starting to go good. Although he still missed his uncle Ed and the farm wasn't quite that same, he was glad he'd met Patti.

------------

****

**PIERCE HOME , CRABAPPLE COVE, MAINE: AUGUST 26, 1963.  
**

Margaret and Hawk lay on his bed, they were both fully, hmm…uh, satisfied.  
  
She looked out one of the large bedroom windows at the road, it was empty.  
  
"Relax" said Hawk, "Dad won't be home for a while"  
  
"What do you think he is doing?" asked Margaret, Hawkeye sat up on the edge of the bed  
  
"He's probably running a few errands in town or seeing a friend" he reassured her.  
  
"I think he knows what we're up to.." she said, looking at Hawkeye, who promptly fobbed it off  
  
"My dad is a grown man" he said, laying back down "it's not like he hasn't done it before"  
  
Margaret looked at him, a bit smile across her face. She brushed the long blonde hair out from her face "you're right, come 'ere you" she teased, pulling him back into her arms.  
  
They snuggled for a while, then, on completion of another physical, Margaret turned to Hawkeye.  
  
"Ben..." she began "there is a reason I came to see you".  
  
Hawk propped him self up, he laughed and said "let me guess, is it that you love me, want to get married and have a house filled with little Pierce feet?"  
  
Margaret looked astounded, she couldn't have said it better herself "yes!" she screeched "yes! I do want to marry you Hawkeye, I love you so much"

-----**  
**

Hawkeye and Margaret were sitting on the edge of Hawk's bed, contemplating what had just happened.  
  
"so?" he asked "do you, do you really love me?"  
  
Margaret looked at him "yes, yes! Of course I do".  
  
Hawk got up off the bed "well, in that case" he said, walking over to the dresser "this is for you" he pulled a small red box out of his underwear drawer, the under the stack of 'Nudist Monthly' magazines.  
  
He sat back down and gave the box to Margaret who promptly opened it, revealing a diamond engagement ring.  
  
"OH HAWKEYE!" she yelled with joy, jumping up and giving him a great big hug, her long blonde hair flowing in the breeze.  
  
"It was my Grandma Bates' - my dad said to save it until I met someone very special' explained Hawkeye  
  
"Does this mean you want to get married?" asked Margaret,  
  
"It sure does" affirmed Hawkeye  
  
Margaret jumped on top him, pushing him onto the bed, "Oh Ben, I love you so much, I'm as happy as a schoolgirl. You need another physical".  
  
She giggled and plastered that trademark smile of hers on her face, ready to rip into Hawkeye - again.  
  
She was about to ask Hawkeye something, however suddenly, there were noises from downstairs ...footsteps?  
  
Margaret sprang up and fell over herself trying to quickly tidy up. She hurriedly slipped the ring onto her finger as Hawkeye fell over trying to wrestle his pants back on.

------------

**VACANT COMMERCIAL LOT # 140593, TOLEDO, OHIO: AUGUST 28, 1953.  
  
**

Klinger, Paul Connor and Denton L. Richards, Jr. (Klinger's smooth taking business man / attorney) were surveying a vacant lot in downtown Toledo, the sign on the "FOR SALE" sign had said $5000 and Klinger had decided to buy.  
  
The ever clumsy Paul Connor and Jerome H. Larry, III - the trendy architect conferred as to the design of the building, while John Williams, the suave loans man watched from a distance.  
  
No one really liked him, he'd concluded, maybe it was the image improvement program from the "Famous Las Vegas Character School" that caused things to go south.  
  
"Yep" said Klinger, conferring with Connor and the rest of his team, I can see it now "Chez Klinger, Grand Opening!" he said, arms out skyward, a true visionary.  
  
"When?" asked Richards, taking a drag on his cigar.  
  
"Soon" Klinger said, very confident, "very, very soon".  
  


------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, MAINE: AUGUST 27, 1953.**

Daniel was home, Hawkeye and Margaret crept down the stairs as he laid shopping bags on the kitchen counter.  
  
"I already know you're here, so there's no need to sneak down here, I don't care what you get up to as long as you're finished by the time I get home" said Daniel, spying Hawkeye and Margaret out the corner of his eye.  
  
They came down into the kitchen as Daniel began to put the groceries away.  
  
"So..." he quizzed, opening the fridge "what did you kids get up to while I was gone?"  
  
Margaret and Hawk looked at each other, "Oh nothing!" said Hawk with a big grin, "just decide to get married, take out the trash, the usual"  
  
Daniel shut the fridge "really?" asked, half shocked, half jokingly "well, that's terrific news, so...just when do you plan on having this wedding?"  
  
Hawkeye and Margaret looked at each other, "well" she said "how about September 5th, the first time we eerr..well..uh...in that hut?"  
  
Daniel smiled, "Its OK Margaret, you can say 'sex' in front of your future father-in-law"  
  
"Well...ok then" said Margaret, "I guess we have some planning to do" she gave Hawk a kiss and dashed off upstairs.

------------

**WINCHESTER ESTATE, BOSTON, MASS: AUGUST 29, 1953.  
  
**

Charles, his parents, Edna and Honoria along with Chea Groovara the wedding planner were busy err...planning the wedding.  
  
"You know" said the Charles the second, "I think it'd be great to have the wedding on the Cape, with the finest socialites in attendance, it'll be the event of season!"  
  
Charles and Edna looked up "yes" he said "I think that is a splendid idea"  
  
"it sure will" replied Edna "we'll be the talk of Boston...again!"  
  
Everyone chuckled.

Charlie's was more associated with a slight hint of nervousness. He wasn't sure if this was the totally right idea, but he reassured himself that it was, after all, he was Charles Emmerson Winchester III.

------------

**HOME OF FRANK AND LOUISE BURNS, FORT WAYNE, IND: AUGUST 29, 1953.  
  
**

"Mail!" yelled Louise Burns; Frank was in the den writing his memoirs on the war to donate to his med school library.  
  
Frank got up and came into the kitchen to get his mail, "hmmm" he mussed, picking up one piece "it is from 'the Pierces, Crabapple Cove, Maine' now why would they write to me?"  
  
Louise looked at him "I don't know why don't you open it and find out".  
  
With that, Frank promptly opened it and began to read. "I don't believe it, no, it can't be happening" he exclaimed,  
  
"What is it?" asked Louise, looking over her husbands shoulder "why it's a wedding invitation"  
  
Frank began to splutter and seize up, babbling incoherently "PIERCE! ....Pier....Peer....ooe... married....Houlih..Marg...noo..ggg.bb.b..g"  
  
His eyes rolled back in his head and he fell to the floor.

------------

**POTTER RESIDENCE, HANNIBAL, MISSOURI: SEPTEMBER 1953.  
  
**

Ol' Doc Potter trudged out to the mailbox, it was raining and the ground was all muddy. "Ah! Beaver biscuits" he exclaimed, stepping in a big puddle but two steps from the mailbox.  
  
He opened it and pulled a thick stack of mail out, "Bill, bill, JAMA, bill, letter from Radar, wedding invitation from Pierce and Margaret, bill, birthday card.."  
  
"Great Caesars Ghost!" he yelled "Pierce marrying Houlihan, holy hemostat!"  
  
Sherm dashed off inside to open it.  
  
"Well..." said Mildred, pouring him a cup coffee "I think it's wonderful that something nice can come out of a war"

Sherman thought if was odd, that two people he could have sworn were at complete opposite ends of the scale could have loved each other, to him it made no sense – but he was happy/


	4. The Chapter Where Someone Proposes

**HUNNICUTT HOME, MILL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA: SEPTEMBER 1, 1953.**

"Wow!" exclaimed an ecstatic BJ "that's terrific news!"  
  
He put the phone down and went into the kitchen and to tell Peg about the wedding.  
  
"Really?" she quizzed, making dinner "from what you've told me, err...Hawkeye and Margaret were total opposites".  
  
"Yes" said BJ "they are, but when he came back from another MASH unit, he told me that she'd done something to him, ...well, I guess this is a result of that".  
  
"Huh" said Peg. "When is this wedding?" she asked, looking at the calendar, notes scrawled all over it.  
  
"The fifth" said BJ, flopping down in front of the TV.

Wow, he thought. Hawkeye and Hotlips, well, if that could happen, then man would someday land on the moon he assumed.

Like, far out man.

------------

**VETERAN AFFAIRS HOSPITAL, FORT WAYNE, IND: SEPTEMBER 1, 1953.  
  
**

Frank sat on the edge of the gurney, a small trickle of drool running out his mouth.  
  
A shrink shined his penlight in his eyes, back and forth ....snapped his fingers, nup, didn't seem to faze ol' Ferret Face.  
  
The doctor turned to Louise Burns, who was sitting nearby.  
  
"Mrs. Burns, there's no easy way to say this but your husband has suffered some kind of massive neurological seizure...with the right medication and some extensive hypnotherapy, it should be only temporary"  
  
Louise looked at Frank, whose tongue was lolling out his mouth, his eyes fixed and staring into nowhere, what ever made him tick has stopped ticking.  
  
"What would cause a thing like this?" she asked.  
  
"Well" said the doctor "when someone hears or sees something so wholly mentally and emotionally incomprehensible they just 'shut down' or their brain chooses to ignore it, which usually sends them into some kind of delirium state, as I said, it should be fixable"

------------

**VACANT COMMERCIAL LOT # 149294, TOLEDO, OHIO: SEPTEMBER 2, 1953.**

The construction company was erecting a temp fence around the lot, heavy machinery and tons of cement, gravel, earth and timber were being moved around the place.  
  
Klinger stood at the side, watching as everything was going on. He had his old foreman helmet from the 4077th on and a whistle around his neck. He had a "DEPUTY FOREMAN" vest on.  
  
He rubbed his hands together and smiled "yes, I can see it now!" he exclaimed, confidently.  
  
Paul O'Connor came over, he held plans and had a worried look on his face.  
  
"Max, just exactly how long is this planning to take" he asked.  
  
"About six weeks" Klinger said, looking at a stack of plans on a donut table beside him. Just then, a worker came up and handed him a message "Mr. Klinger? Phone, I was told it was urgent"  
  
Klinger put down his coffee and thanked him; he quickly walked over to the admin trailer and took the phone off of Denton Richards, his business manager.  
  
"Klinger here?" he asked

------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, MAINE: SEPTEMBER 2, 1953.  
  
**

Hawkeye was on the phone; Margaret, Louise McIntyre and Peg Hunnicutt were in the kitchen, busily planning the upcoming wedding.  
  
Erin was playing on the kitchen floor, Becky and Kathy McIntyre were watching the TV in the den.  
  
"Thanks" said Hawkeye as he hung up "well, it looks like the Klingers' can make it after all; he said he'd get his Uncle Abdul to cover while he was gone"  
  
"Wow! That's wonderful!" said Margaret.  
  
Trapper and BJ were sitting outside enjoying the Maine weather, Hawkeye joined them, they still couldn't believe that of all the people, Hawk was marrying Margaret Houlihan.  
  
Hawkeye sat down beside them and looked to the sky.  
  
"Man' said Trapper "It's still hard to get into the ol' head that you are marrying Hotlips Houlihan..I mean, the chance of that happening!"  
  
Hawkeye sat up "yep, of all the people in all gin joints in all the world".  
  
"I just knew it" said BJ "when I got that call, there was just something that told me you were marrying her. I remember the night you to got back to camp after going to the 8063rd, and you told me that she'd stirred something in you - I just knew it"

"So." said Margaret, "who has that seating plan?"  
  
Louise pulled some paper out of a pile on the table "here it is" she said "who should I seat the Klinger's with?"  
  
"How about the Freedman's?" suggested Peg  
  
"Sounds good to me" said Margaret.  
  
"Erin" asked Peg "why you don't you go and play outside with daddy for a while?"  
  
Erin looked up "'k mommy" she said and began to walk outside to see BJ.  
  
Margaret sighed "I've got so much to plan and only a few days! All the guest will be arriving the day after tomorrow, we have to get the menu sorted, hire the seating, food and everything, I don't know if I can do all that!"  
  
Peg looked at Louise, who in turn looked at Margaret, her head buried in her hands.  
  
"Aw, its ok honey" said Peg "Louise n' me will help you get everything sorted, just you wait, it'll be a top notch whiz bang of an affair, we've speaking from experience here"  
  
Louise gave Margaret a hug "just you wait and see.."

------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, MAINE; **** SEPTEMBER 5, 1953.**

The big day had finally arrived! The lawn was set up for the guests, tables had been set out, as well as a beautiful gazebo for the ceremony.  
  
It was a fresh day in Maine, the sea air blew gently, the sun shone and everything was picture perfect.  
  
Charles, Trapper and BJ were upstairs with Hawkeye, getting ready.  
  
"Ah gentlemen" said Charles "I see the day that Pierce finally takes a wife has arrived, I shall use this experience to craft my own wedding to perfection"  
  
BJ laughed "I thought you and that French guy, Cheese Groovaneara were planning your wingding"  
  
Charles rolled his eyes "Poor Hunnicutt, his name is Chea Groovara, he is the finest wedding planner in all of Boston, call man to the rich and societal ..of which I would know about, you on the other hand, would know...nothing"  
  
He chuckled.  
  
Hawkeye straightened his bow tie.  
  
"Mary!" screeched Margaret at her sister, "help me get into this dress! We don't have all day!"  
  
Her sisters Mary and Marie, and mother Jean were trying to wrestle Margaret into her wedding dress.  
  
After much screaming, bellowing and commotion, they succeeded.  
  
Father Mulchay had arrived from Philadelphia for the ceremony and waiting for the bridal party to line up.  
  
Finally, they were ready. The flower girls, Erin along with Kathy and Becky McIntyre began to walk down the path to the gazebo, dropping pink and white roses.  
  
They were followed by Marie, Jean and Mary, then Louise and Peg, the matrons of honor. They wore long, flowing white bridal dresses with pink and white lace.  
  
Everyone was looking at Frank's empty chair, they thought that the health department might bring him in a wheelie trolley surrounded by goons, but there was no sign of him.  
  
The (ret.) Colonel and Mrs. Potter sat in the front row, he couldn't help crying, he'd been like a father to Margaret in Korea.  
  
As everyone looked on, Margaret began to walk toward Hawkeye, who was waiting at the altar for his bride.  
  
She exited the house, and walked along the long white carpet toward a very proper looking Col. Alvin "Howitzer" Houlihan to be given away.  
  
When she and her father reached the gazebo, he lifted up the veil and gave Margaret a kiss, then he handed her off the Hawkeye. He was (deep, deep inside, in a place that never sees the light of day or reads Time, USA Today or any other fine publication to keep itself abreast with the latest news) happy that his Margaret had finally found someone to marry (again).  
  
At least this one seemed half decent, he reassured himself.  
  
Father Mulchay looked towards the congregation, "Does anyone object to these two being married?" he asked.  
  
Everyone looked over towards the Burns' section, nope....still no Frank in a wheelie cage guarded by 350 pound goons armed with sedatives.  
  
No one said anything; all that could be heard was the occasional sniff or cough.  
  
"Then by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife" said the Father, everyone cheered as Hawk and Margaret kissed each other.

By now, everyone was seated enjoying fresh Maine lobster and a veritable feast of foods.  
  
As Trapper was about to get up and toast them, a white van pulled up. Half a dozen burly men in white scrub suits jumped out and opened the back doors.  
  
They went in and - in a parody to Hannibal - wheeled out Frank Burns, strapped in two straightjackets with a gag across his mouth.  
  
Louise Burns walked beside her husband as he was wheeled across the lawn to within about 10 ft of the reception, surrounded by burly goons armed with tranquilizers.  
  
"Why Frank, how nice of you to come!" mocked Hawkeye.  
  
That doctor was right, Frank had come back to reality, and he was now crazier than a bedbug "Pierce! How dare you marry 'my' Margaret, get your hands off her, she's mine, mine, mine!!! It's not fair!"  
  
"FRANK" Louise spat "What do you're think you're doing?"  
  
He began to flail his arms and splutter like mad, the goons quickly stabbed a hypo of sedative in him, after several seconds, he quieted down.  
  
The goons quickly grabbed Frank and wheeled him back to the van. They closed the doors, got in and drove off.  
  
"Bye Frank!" everyone yelled.  
  
"So ol' Ferret Face went nuts huh? I would have never imagined in a thousand years!" laughed BJ.  
  
Trapper got up and raised his glass of champagne.  
  
"You know, I never imagined that Hotlips Houlihan and Hawkeye Pierce would ever get married, when I first saw them together, they hated each other, they were complete opposites.  
  
However, I have seen that I was wrong and I wish you two all the best for the future"  
  
Trapper sat down as everyone clapped and cheered.  
  
After lunch, Hawkeye and Margaret danced to "Love Me Tender" (Elvis) and Nat King Cole's "Unforgettable", then as everyone cheered them on, they drove away for their honeymoon to Hawaii - paid for by none other than Charles, who had "extensive connections in those parts"

------------

**OFFICE OF DR. B. F. PIERCE, CRABAPPLE COVE, MAINE: SEPTEMBER 15, 1953**

  
As Hawkeye sat at his desk filling in medical reports, there was a knock at the door.  
  
"Who is it?" he asked  
  
"It's me, now let me in or I'll huff and puff and blow your house down" said Margaret.  
  
"Why Margaret, what a nice surprise, but what are you doing here?" Hawk asked, picking her up and plopping her down on his exam table.  
  
They both kissed for a few long seconds.  
  
"Ben, I've got some fantastic news..." said Margaret, very excited.  
  
A big smile spread across Hawkeye's face, "what is it?" he asked.  
  
"Well...uh," she began, fiddling with her fingers, waiting for the right form of words to come to her.


	5. The Chapter Where Someone Gets Married

**OFFICE OF DR. B. F. PIERCE, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: ****SEPTEMBER 15, 1953****.**

"You, you what" asked Hawkeye anxiously.

Margaret sighed "I'm pregnant".

Hawk's face lit up, they hugged. "Are you sure? Have you seen your doctor" he asked.

"Yes" said Margaret, "I went and saw your dad this morning, and he confirmed it" she giggled "and you are my doctor silly". 

They kissed.

Hawkeye had to think about this for a few seconds. He was home, he was back in civilian life, now he's just gotten the news that he was going to be a father. To top it all off, he had the greatest gal in the world as his wife.

He was very, very happy. A warm feeling of joy embraced Hawkeye Pierce, certifiably the luckiest man in the world.

------------

**O'REILLY FARM, ****OTTUMWA****, ****IOWA****: ****SEPTEMBER 16, 1953****.**

Radar and Patti sat on the porch. A sweet country breeze wafted thorough the air.

"Do you think it's the right time to get married?" asked Patti very bluntly. Radar stared at her, the breeze delicately flowed thorough her hair and the sun reflected of her face just right.

Radar sighed "yes, I do" he said.

It was amazing thought Radar; he never saw himself as the type to get married or have kids, he was a little blown away. Life was changing for the better for the gang that was the 4077th.

------------

**WINCHESTER**** RETREAT, ****CAPE ****COD****, MASS: ****SEPTEMBER 17, 1953****.**

The entire social population on middle Massachusetts, including (the then) Senator John F. Kennedy and his wife Jackie, captains of industry and wealthy socialites had gathered at the Winchester compound on Cape Cod for the weeding.

The courtyard of the main house was decorated with blue and pink, tables of lavish and decant foods. A pile of gifts twenty feet high stood nearby as the congregation looked on at the altar.

"Charles" asked the minister "do you take Edna to be your wife."

Charles looked at her, the minister and then his parents, sitting with Senator Kennedy and his goons.

"I do" he said.

The minister looked at Edna "do you take Charles to be your husband?"

Without hesitation she shot out "I do"

They were pronounced husband and wife, and as they kissed everyone cheered and clapped.

Whatever feelings of nervousness he had, it was gone. As was his freedom and will to live, nah, just kidding.

------------

**MCINTYRE HOME, ****BOSTON****, MASS: ****SEPTEMBER 27, 1953****.**

John and Louise McIntyre were sitting on the sofa, watching TV. The two children were in bed and Louise was expecting another soon.

A light rain fell outside as the two McIntyre's snuggled in front of the tube. The phone rang.

"Trapper?" asked a familiar voice "is that you"

He sat up "Hey Hawk, it's great to hear from you!"

"Do you have any plans for Christmas" Hawkeye asked.

"Christmas plans" Trap said ………. He thought about Louise's mother coming _again_ ……….and her big smoochy kisses and bad smelling makeup.

"No, we are completely free at Christmas, how are the two of you doing?"

Louise frowned at him, he glared at her.

"and………..baby makes three" exclaimed Hawkeye

Trapper's jaw dropped to the floor "you mean, Margaret is pregnant? Wow, that's terrific" he said.

Louise looked at him in surprise "yessirreee, Hawk's havin' a kid to ol' Hotlips,, things are happening too fast!" he told her.

For the next while, Hawkeye and Trapper talked about the war, their home life and general things.

They both agreed that it was the best feeling in the world to be "back in the world" as their faithful yet oh so bumbling leader Henry had put it.

------------

**CHEZ KLINGER, ****TOLEDO****, ****OHIO****: ****OCTOBER 25, 1953****.**

Chez Klinger was all but complete, a crane was lowering the "Chez Klinger" sign into position. Klinger (still in his army foreman helmet) was directing it a little to the left.

"Easy, easy, perfect!" he said, the sign was secured in place.

"Well………" asked Paul Connor "what now?"

Klinger smiled and looked over at his business manager, he gave the "thumbs up"

"Done' said Klinger "all we do is light up the sign and come back at eight for the grand opening, I've gotten every newspaper in town filled with ads, and that crooked old drunk of a printer did a great job with those flyers"

He smiled; everything was failing to place just perfectly, he was home, had a great wife and what was hopefully to become a great business.

It's a good thing he didn't reenlist in the army after all.

------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: CHRISTMAS, 1953**

The snow was falling around B. J., Peg and Erin as they walked toward the house. It was Christmas and everyone had converged on the Pierce home.

B. J. could see the Christmas tree in the window, smoke wafted from the chimney and there was as magical feel in the air.

Hawkeye stood in the door – "Come in" he said.

As BJ and his family entered the foyer, they could see all of the 4077th, The former Col. and Mrs. Potter, Radar and Patti, Trapper and family, Margaret, Klinger with Soon-Lee and Father Mulchay had arrived.

Everyone looked at the 10ft. tree in the den, lights and decorations all around. The fire was stoked and the house was warm, Margaret and the women were in the kitchen, preparing dinner.

"So?" asked Trapper, "when you n' Hotlips comin' to Boston? We should get together"

"Well" said Hawkeye "Margaret and me should come down after New Years and we could go play golf or and see Chuckles and co."

Charles shot a look at them.

"Yeah Chuckles" said BJ "I'm sure the three of you would get along just great"

Edna looked at Charles, who looked at BJ, who looked at Charles.

As everyone ate dinner, they all talked and laughed. It was the first Christmas with real food and booze that wasn't brewed in week old sweat socks.

"Margaret, that meal was delicious" said Sherm undoing his belt and taking a slug of hootch.

"Thank you" she said, starting to clear the plates.

Mildred and Louise got up "you have to stop doing everything yourself" said Mildred "especially in that condition of yours, let us help you, sit, ……go on, sit!"

Margaret sat down as Mildred and Louise cleared the dishes.

"Did you have a good Christmas, was Santa Claus good to you?" BJ asked Erin, who was sitting in her highchair with food splotched all over her face.

BJ got a napkin and wiped it off, "Daddy" said Erin "you missed some"

"It looks like Frank has been operating again!" joked Trapper, "does anyone know what happened to Frank after his brief appearance at the wedding?"

------------

**FLOWING MEADOWS NEUROLOGICAL CARE FACILITY AND GOLF RESORT, ****FORT WAYNE****, ****IND.**

Upon leaving the wedding, Frank was assessed by a military physiatrist at the Army Neurological Testing Center, Ft. Deedrick, Maryland , who found him to be "……wholly devoid of any neurological functions not benefiting or sustaining an impossible illusion that subject is married to one Margaret Pierce"

It was the Army's recommendation that "the subject, having been rendered incapable of focusing on any subject not befitting to his delusion is therefore unfit for continued service in the army reserve, therefore the subject shall be confined to a suitable VA approved facility to handle and if possible treat the subjects extreme delusions and (from time to time) actions befitting of same"

So……..as the nut jobs sat in ten foot rubber rooms and the golfers tried to shoot ten under par, ol' Ferret Face went certifiably nuts and now spends his days in a 10x10 room lined with rubber walls in some sort of dream state thinking he's married to Hotlips.


	6. When Good Times get Better

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: ****JULY 18, 1954****.**

Margaret, very pregnant and due any day, was lying on the couch watching Hawkeye try and assemble the nursery set they got as a gift from Peg and BJ.

"Damn thing!" Hawk grunted at the instruction sheet, written in 10 languages except English (A/N: as from personal experience).

Hawkeye had nearly finished and was getting frustrated, which made Margaret get upset, which compounded the entire situation

"Ben, please try and calm down" asked Margaret, who was trying to rest.

"Sorry" he said "It's just the we'll be parents any day and I want to get this finished"

Margaret adjusted her pillow and tried to read the paper.

"Ben, come here" she asked, Hawkeye put down his screwdriver and went over to see what his wife wanted.

"Feel this" Margaret said, putting her hand on her belly.

"Wow!" exclaimed Hawkeye, "the baby is kicking, hey that's really neat!"

Margaret smiled. She felt wonderful (inside that is) she had a great husband, was expecting a baby and lived in the most picture perfect town in America. It was good to be out of the cold, hard and although she like it, being a civilian was not too bad.

------------

**CHEZ KLINGER, ****TOLEDO****, ****OHIO****: ****JULY 19, 1954****.**

Klinger stood at the door to his restaurant, as per usual; there was a long line of people waiting to get in.

Business had really picked up in the last few months so he and Soon-Lee decided to have kids.

Max had also hired Igor as a second chef and "Ramone" a very large African-American ex Marine as his bouncer. He seemed to do a very good job; the cops hadn't turned up in six months.

It was six o'clock and everyone was busy. A large town car pulled up, Charles and Edna got out. They were at a medical conference in Detroit and had decided to stop by,

"Name?" asked Ramone, wearing a suit and black sunglasses.

Charles looked at him "The name is Charles Emmerson Winchester the Third" he said.

Ramone quickly scanned the guest list 'I'm sorry sir but you're not on the list".

Edna looked at Charles who spoke up "I have private arrangements with the owner, so why don't you just crawl back to wherever you came out of and let us in".

Klinger could see that Charles' ego and his perception of those around him was at best, limited. He knew something was about to transpire.

"Ramone, its OK" he said "he's with me".

Ramone stared at him and unhooked the rope across the door, Charles started in.

"Hey" said Ramone "I don't care where you from white boy, but one of these days, we gonna' get folk just like you, just you watch"

Charles rolled his eyes and entered.

------------

**BOSTON GENERAL****HOSPITAL****, ****BOSTON****, MASS: ****JULY 20, 1954****.**

Two orderlies pushed Margaret's gurney into to the elevator, Hawkeye ran along side. Trapper strode behind it, ensuring everything went to plan.

A young intern was about to stick a wheelchair into the elevator, "HEY YOU" bellowed Trap "Get out of there or I'll bust your ass so far back into your surgical internship you'll have to be born again!"

He turned round and pushed the wheelchair out the elevator "Dr. McIntyre, of course sir!" he said, scared shitless.

Trapper entered and smiled at Hawk "God it's good to be Chief of Surgery" he snapped at someone "Maternity suite, now!"

Margaret looked at Hawkeye, "Hey, its ok" he said, "we've got Trapper here, and last time I checked I was a doctor, so everything's gon' be fine, I guarantee it!"

Hawk smiled and held her hand, she gave a little smile. Oh boy, oh boy, a baby thought Hawkeye, someone to play catch and football with, someone to look after him in his old age and see grow up to become a productive member of society.

"You coming?" asked Trapper, who was standing on the maternity floor, waiting for Hawkeye.

"Oh, yeah!" Hawk said and sprinted after Margaret's gurney yelling "Its OK, Its OK"

"Its OK" said the nurse who was between Margaret's legs, "just one more big push!"

She looked at Hawkeye, covered in sweat and in pain, "Rip it out of me! I can't push no more!"

Hawkeye leaned over and wiped her forehead "Come on Margaret, just one more push, ready? ...........1, 2, 3"

They both strained and grunted together, "Margaret" said Hawkeye.

"Yeah?" she asked, panting heavily, drenched in sweat and thoroughly deadened.

"It's over" he said.

The nurse smiled 'it sure is!"

Margaret had given birth to a healthy, six pound eight ounce baby boy.

Hawkeye stepped outside into the waiting room, where Daniel, the Houlihan's and Charles had gathered.

Charles was down the road at Café Delmar during his lunch break so he figured he could come along.

"Well?" asked Daniel excitedly.

"Yeah!" grunted Colonel Howitzer Al "When do I get to see my grandson!"

Hawkeye led them down the hall and into Margaret's room. She lay in bed with the baby next to her, she was exhausted.

"Daddy!" said Margaret "its nice of you to come!"

"Are you kidding!" he said "I wouldn't have missed this for the world"

"Well…….." said Margaret 'say hello the Benjamin Franklin Pierce Jr.

"You know" said Hawkeye "it's been exactly four years since we went to Korea, and now we have a beautiful child, and on the same day – that's so, profound"

Everyone agreed.

------------

**O'REILLY FARM, ****OTTUMWA****, ****IOWA****: ****JULY 27, 1954****.**

It was late in the first day of the first annual reunion of the 4077th, on the day that the armistice was signed, everyone gathered at the O'Reilly farm.

In the last 12 months, there had been three marriages, two births and both Soon-Lee Patti was expecting a child. Klinger had become a successful entrepreneur and Trapper had done a 180° had become a family man without any womanizing ways.

Everyone danced, ate or talked.

"You know" said Trapper as he and Hawkeye sat on the porch "I remember the first time I set eyes on the camp. I was outside the Swamp when I saw this blonde siren walking across the compound. You said something to her and she bit you. I asked you who she was, you replied 'some regular army clown'"

Hawkeye smiled.

Peg and Louise played with Ben in the den as Margaret and rest of the 4077th enjoying themselves.

Everyone agreed that life was changing for the better and that is was better than anything to be home.

A white van came along the road, kicking up a pile of dirt behind it. It slowed and pulled into the driveway.

Once again, half a dozen burly goons in white scrub suits jumped out and went to the back of the van. They wheeled Frank out on a hand trolley secured in three straightjackets.

"Hey" said BJ "It's ol' ferret face, it must be time for the weekly trip from the nut house"

The goons wheeled Frank up to the house and stood by as everyone said hi then went back to whatever they were doing before.

Sherman looked at him "do you think we could just sneak off and leave Frank here?"

Margaret laughed "No, he always leaves a trail of breadcrumbs"

After a few minutes the goons packed up shop and wheeled Frank back to the van "he's allowed out for certain special occasions, the next will be in twenty or thirty years given his latest ramblings" one of the guys explained.

As the van drove off, everyone laughed and wondered what was next.

Hawkeye looked at the setting sun, he then looked at Margaret, her golden hair set just right against the sun.

"Hey you, it's getting late, shall we get some dinner and retire, for uh….er…..um" he began to drift off.

Margaret giggled and kissed him "yes, let's go errrr…..uh……um" she smiled "but not a second before we eat"

After a delicious dinner, everyone retired to the many large bedrooms and awaited the rising of the sun, they planned to leave early in the morning to return home, wherever that may be.

------------

**VETERANS ****AFFAIRS ****HOSPITAL****, ****PORTLAND****, ****MAINE****: ****APRIL 11, 1955****.**

Hawkeye swung his dad's wheels round to the emergency entrance, nearly taking out an ambulance as he pulled up underneath a sign marking the entrance for use of "AMBULANCES ONLY", not which made much diff to Hawkeye.

A gurney and three doctors in scrub suits stood at the ready, Daniel Pierce jumped out and opened the back door.

"Litter!" someone yelled, the gurney team raced over to the car, "You doctor Pierce?" one of the doctor asked.

"Yeah, and this is lovely lady is Margaret, the reason why I'm here" he said, helping lift her onto the gurney.

As they pushed their way thorough the emergency room someone yelled "HEY YOU – get out of that elevator!" to Hawkeye it seemed a parody to the birth of their first child, all they were missing was Trapper.

To take his place, BJ, who would later explain that he was in town for a medical conference, double timed it past the gurney to hold the elevator for the medical team.

"Why Beej, what a nice surprise" said Hawk "excellent timing I might add"

Up in maternity, Margaret gave birth to a eight pound four ounce baby girl later named Jane Elizabeth Pierce, after both Hawkeye and Margaret's mothers.

Yep, concluded Hawk, his life was perfect. He now had two great kids, a wonderful wife and a thriving practice, nothing could go wrong.

------------

**MCINTYRE HOME, ****BOSTON****, MASS: ****NOVEMBER 10, 1960******

Trapper and Louise were watching the final 'Kennedy v. Nixon' debates on TV. Becky and Kathy were getting bored with their parents endlessly following the Presidential elections, they really didn't care.

"Who do you think will win?" he asked Louise, busy with _Time_ magazine, she looked at the TV.

"I'm not sure" she said, "Nixon was Vice President but Kennedy seems very liberal and promises a lot – we'll just have to wait and see".

------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: ****NOVEMBER 12, 1960****.**

"Wait and see" said Margaret, 6 year old Ben was nagging about what was for dinner.

Hawkeye was reading JAMA in the den and following the race for the White House on the TV. Janie was playing with her plastic farm set on the floor, enjoying the warmth of the fire.

"Daddy?" said Jane "look daddy, farn!"

Hawkeye smiled and put down JAMA "That's farm Janie-poo, with a 'm', do you remember Radar?"

Her face lit up "unthle Radar!!" she said.

Margaret stuck her head in from the kitchen "Dinner's just about ready!"

Hawkeye picked his daughter up and bounced her on his knee "yes, uncle Radar" he said "well……he lives on a farm too! Next time we visit you can see it and play with the animals, does that sound like fun?"

"yes" said Jane.

------------

**HOME OF SHERMAN T. POTTER, ****HANNIBAL****, ****MISSOURI****: ****NOVEMBER 22, 1963****.**

"Sherman! Sherman Potter!" yelled Mildred "time to get up, you're going to be late for your appointment with the ol' fishin' hole! – you're 75, you can sleep all afternoon if you want!"

The Colonel was sleeping late she assumed, nothing serious, just taking a well earned rest.

Mildred was making breakfast and had the TV playing in the background, everything was great.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the President speaking at the hotel in Fort Worth.

------------

**OFFICE OF DR. B. F. PIERCE, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: ****NOVEMBER 22, 1963****.**

Margaret sat at her desk, checking the patient reports. The waiting room was semi full; the radio was softly playing in the background.

Hawkeye had just finished seeing a patient and asked for the ever lovely Mrs. Morgan, she was back again. Daniel was fiddling with records in the back, Margaret offered to help.

As Hawkeye and Mrs. Morgan entered his office, she could see that her advice had done the world of good.

"It's good to know that something I said has had such a good effect" she told Hawk, who had a picture of his family proudly displayed next to his M.D. his desk. He could hear Margaret picking up the phone in the waiting room.

After a few seconds of idle talk, Hawkeye was just about to ask what was wrong with her when Margaret, white and ashen stuck her head in the door.

"What's wrong?" Hawkeye asked, worried, was it the kids, was something wrong with them?

"That was BJ, Colonel Potter's uh………….dead, Mildred found him in his bed a few hours ago".

Hawkeye couldn't believe it, he looked at her as if to say "are you sure?"", he quickly excused himself and dashed out into the waiting room.

He strode to the phone and was in the process of dialing when he heard something on the radio.

"Do you want me to turn it down?" asked Margaret,

"UP, Up, turn the thing up!" he shouted.

It was NBC's Bob Johnson, "Something, what………..something, yes something has happened in the motorcade route, I repeat something has happened in the motorcade route……."

Hawkeye turned to face the radio, Margaret turned up the volume, and everyone looked over toward it …………what had happened?

------------

**WINCHESTER**** ESTATE, ****BOSTON****, MASS: ****NOVEMBER 22, 1963****.**

Charles sat with the TV going; he was reading the Boston Herald. The TV went blank; "Ah!" he grunted and got up to fix it.

The CBS logo suddenly flashed on the screen, Walter Cronkite came on "in Dallas, Texas, three bullets were fired at President Kennedy's motorcade in downtown Dallas, the first reports………"

Charles was interrupted by the housekeeper knocking, "Mr. Winchester? Telephone sir"

He proceeded to pick it up, eyes glued to the tube, his attention was focused on the CBS bulletin.

"Hello" he said, still watching the box,

"Pierce, what do you wa……….what!" he exclaimed, "dead? Surely you jest, maybe some country local didn't check for signs of life, what?.........what's not important right now, there's something going on in Dallas"

------------

**MCINTYRE HOME, ****BOSTON****, MASS: ****NOVEMBER 22, 1963****.**

Trapper sat outside watching the clouds form. He had the day off and was catching up on some R n' R.

Louise leaned out of the kitchen window and yelled at John "Get in here! I think they just shot the President"

On that day, a nation lost a President and a President—of—sorts to all those from the 4077th, it was also the day the Dallas Police lost one of thier own; the day that the music died.


	7. Good Times and Bad

"A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" © copyright 1962. Bob Dylan

"The Times They Are-A Changin'" © Copyright 1963, Bob Dylan

"American Pie" © Copyright 1970, Don McLean

(Yes ………I'm still stuck in the '70s despite the face I was never in the '70s)

------------

**RESIDENCE OF ****SHERMAN**** T. POTTER, ****HANNIBAL****, ****MISSOURI****: ****NOVEMBER 25, 1963****.**

That sweet country smell filled the air, the breeze blew gently and the sun shone. The funeral procession proceeded outside to the lawn, where the rolling country side engulfed the eye.

All the 4077th were in attendance. Radar, Hawkeye, BJ and Margaret along with Charles and Trapper acted as pallbearers

Everyone gathered around the casket, Father Mulchay stepped up to begin the service.

There was not a dry eye in the gathering, as the father finished, Hawkeye stepped up to deliver his eulogy as a bulgur cracked a high note on the taps.

"It was a little over ten years ago that we said goodbye, and now we must say goodbye forever. When we got word that a new 'regular army' man was coming as our new CO, everyone cringed at the thought of cold showers, marches, calisthenics and parades. We were however, thankfully misinformed, Sherman Potter was a very nice, caring person and guided me out of the dark many times when I felt that I was at the ropes' end"

He paused.

"Now, it brings me great sadness to think that such a great person lays there in the dark, unable to the guided into the light. Goodbye Sherm."

With that, Hawkeye stepped down.

On that day, the nation buried its President, the Dallas Police buried an officer and a select few, old war buddies, buried one of their own.

This was truly the day the music died, with no time to start again for the times they are-a changin'.

------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: CHRISTMAS, 1963.**

Once again, the snow was falling. Everyone had gathered at Pierce home with exception of Sherman, Mildred had managed to find solace within the group from the 4077th.

Everyone's kids played together in the den, the Klinger's two sons, Ben and Jane Pierce and the McIntyre children.

Erin Hunnicutt, now almost 11, insisted on helping Margaret, Peg and Louise make dinner.

"So" asked Trapper, "What's the big Pierce Christmas thing-a-magig for the year?"

"Wait and see" said Hawkeye.

With the latest events, there was no real great Christmas surprise, everyone ate dinner and sat together, thinking about all that had happened.

The assassination of the President, the ever escalating civil rights movement and the death of their gallant leader had sunk the morale of the 4077th.

------------

**MCINTYRE RESIDENCE, ****BOSTON****, MASS: ****AP****RIL 14, 1964****.**

The tube played in the background as Louise fixed dinner. John was working on a report for the surgical team, the kids were no were to be seen. It was the '60s and what with all the free love and radical colors it was no great surprise.

Trapper looked up from his work and watched as President Johnson announced the signing of the Gulf of Tonkin resolution –in the document, lay the Vietnam War.

------------

**HUNNICUTT HOME, ****MILL VALLEY****, ****CALIFORNIA****: ****SEPTEMBER 16, 1966****.**

"Oh, God it horrible" said Peg. She and BJ along with their two kids, Erin, 15 and Ben, 11, were watching the latest TV news on the Civil Rights movement.

The police, with batons and gas masks, attempted to stop protesters in Selma, Ala. from marching to Montgomery and be it Birmingham, Watts or Chicago, they saw it.

"Why?" asked Erin "why are they doing this".

"Because" explained BJ "if the rich and powerful can crush the blacks, they can get more powerful. The war doesn't help and it all figures with that pole-cat Lyndon in the White House n' all them hippies runnin' roun' on drugs"

It was late in the evening; BJ went upstairs to see what the kids were doing. Ben was focusing on homework.

Erin was sitting on her bed, guitar in hand badly strumming out the tab to The Times They Are-A Changin'

She softly whispered "that if your time to you is worth saving, then you better start swimming before you sink like a stone for the times they are-a changin".

BJ paused for a moment and stood in the doorway, it took a few seconds for her to notice her dad.

"Hi Daddy" she said.

BJ went in and sat down on the bed. "You know" he said "you are becoming quite the rebel in the family; I think it's good that you are standing up for what you want, but just be careful"

Erin looked at her dad and smiled "OK dad, I'll be careful, because after all, I'm your darlin' young one"

BJ smiled, "that's right honey, say, if you enjoy his records, why don't you go and see Bob Dylan play sometime"

"OK"

With that, BJ left and pulled the door to.

------------

**BOSTON GENERAL ****HOSPITAL****, ****BOSTON****, MASS: ****FEBRUARY 2, 1967****.**

Trapper John McIntyre sat at his desk. It was a relatively slow morning.

Down in the highly controlled chaos of Emergency, the phone rang at the nurse's station.

The voice asked for John McIntyre.

It's amazing how a split second can see someone's life change.

"Dr. McIntyre you have a call from emergency" said Sharon, sticking her head in the door.

John picked up the phone. "yeah?" he asked.

The voice identified itself as that of the school principal. He related how that his son had been tackled during a game of football in PE class. The paramedics (yes, such a system existed in large cities in the late '60s) told the school to call Dr. McIntyre and tell him that it looked like a neck injury.

Without uttering a word, Trapper dropped the phone and proceeded out of his office.

"SHARON!" he bellowed "get hold of my wife, tell her to get her ass down here right now, get the emergency room and tell them to hold all incoming ambulances then get Mercy and Methodist on the phone, tell 'em that if my kid turns up, I want to know about it!"

Trap transported himself to the ambulance entrance in a speed not to be seen again until the teleporter on "Star Trek".

"How do you feel?" he asked his son who was laying on a gurney in one of the trauma rooms.

"I feel funny" said James McIntyre.

"Well" said Trapper, examining x-rays on the light board "it looks like its just some bruising. There is no damage to anything major"

Louise looked at her husband "so he can walk again?"

John smiled "yes, he will be able to"

------------

**AN UNDEFINED HOOTENANNY, ****NEWPORT****, RHODE IS: ****MARCH 5, 1968****.**

September 1966 was along time ago, a few years in the '60s was like a lifetime to those that remember the decade of change. As a huge crowd of peace activist, hippies and fans chanted and screamed, a haze of pot smoke filled the air.

A guy with greasy hair, in a leather jacket and sunglasses carrying a guitar strode onto the stage. The legendary Bob Dylan stopped as a series of yellow, red and blue lights on the sides of the stage began to flash and the music began.

------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: ****APRIL 11, 1969****.**

"Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Janie, happy birthday to you!"

Everyone sung and celebrated the 14th birthday of Jane Elizabeth Pierce. She looked at Hawkeye.

"Dad, aren't I a little big for this" she asked

Margaret and Hawkeye smiled "as long as you live, you'll always be my little girl, and if I want to give my little girl a birthday party, then so be it!"

Klinger bought in the cake from the kitchen and handed it to Hawkeye. He put it in front of his daughter and asked her to make a wish.

She did and blew out the candles, "what was it?" asked Margaret.

Jane smiled and looked up at her mother "there are some things you taught me to never tell, this is one of them" she said.

Everyone laughed, "well……..I see you have done a fine job raising them" said Charles.

"Thanks Charles" said Hawkeye.

------------

**O'REILLY FARM, ****OTTUMWA****, ****IOWA****: ****JULY 27, 1969****.**

A short, plump man with glasses and a receding hairline stood at the mailbox to welcome everyone to the 16th annual reunion of the MASH 4077.

Patti and Soon-Lee were setting out the tables on the lawn while the kids, Max Jr. and the O'Reilly's two daughters, Kate and Rebecca helped with the lunch.

Hawkeye and Margaret arrived with the kids and got out of the car "wow, its amazing what you have done with the place" said Margaret.

"Yea, and who is that handsome stranger at the mailbox, the milkman?" joked Hawkeye.

Patti giggled "no, that's Radar; he looks a lot different that he did when I first met him!"

Hawk nodded.

Everyone did what they do every year – talk about memories, the future and what was happening in the world.

------------

**WINCHESTER**** ESTATE, ****BOSTON****, MASS: ****AUGUST 26, 1969****.**

Charles, his parents and sister along with his wife and daughters, Christine and Mary sat in the library.

Charles Emmerson Winchester IV was at a dinner date with his girlfriend Anna; they had been seeing a lot of each other lately.

The Winchesters along with Eugene "Tex" Burghoff, political strongman and former advisor to Dwight Eisenhower, sat and discussed the running of Charles for the Senate in 1970.

"Well?" asked Tex, taking a bolt of his whiskey "what do you stand for?"

"S……st…..stand for?" asked Charles, "How fast can you come up with something?"

Edna shot a look at him "Charles! If you want to be a senator, you should at least stand for something that YOU have come up with"

"Well" said Charles "how about this. Higher employment, better health care and education for all"

Tex chewed his whiskey then swallowed it "Winchester! You're a genius, stick with me and you can't go wrong, people said 'I like Ike' so how about 'I like Chuck' – any good?"

Charles looked at him "'Chuck' sounds like some slimy redneck poker player in a drunken tavern with his drinking buddies getting into brawls and fights with the police. I on the other hand graduated cum laude from Harvard Medical School and am Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Boston Mercy, not some swine redneck!"

Tex looked at Mr. Winchester who promptly said "find something more wealthy sounding, what am I paying you, $200 an hour?"

"$375"

------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: NEWS YEARS EVE, 1969.**

Everyone stood around the TV waiting for the new year.

"10…..9…..8…..7……6……..5…….4……3…….2……1…..HAPPY 1970!" every yelled.

The turbulent and swingin' 60s had come to an end, it was time to enter the '70s. only if you be believe in rock n' roll and music can save your mortal soul that is.


	8. The Swinging Sixties

Don't own MASH, I want to, but I don't – so there you have it.

I never claimed to be a genius when it comes to politics, names or any other trivial matter that may arise.

------------

**KLINGER HOME, ****TOLEDO****, ****OHIO****: ****MARCH 21, 1970****.**

Klinger, Soon-Lee and his business manager met to discuss the opening of three new restaurants.

Since opening in Toledo in 1954, Chez Klinger had become the number one place in town, everybody came – singers, celebrities, politicians and congressmen, even LBJ was rumored to have driven by.

There were plans to open in London, Dallas, LA and New York.

"This is very exciting" said Soon-Lee "we will become famous!!"

Klinger smiled, "maybe"

Denton Richards, Klinger's smooth talking business man / attorney smiled "yes. It's very exciting; just remember my fee is 30%"

Max looked at him "we agreed ten percent"

"yeah" said Richards "you're good"

------------

**MCINTYRE HOME, ****BOSTON****, MASS: ****MAY 8, 1970****.**

The McIntyre family was sitting in the den watching President Nixon on TV; he was denying the existence of US forces in Laos.

Becky was expected by later with her family and Kathy was completing her master's degree in Ohio.

John and Louise only had one kid left at home; Jim was 17 and thinking of enlisting in the Marine Corps.

The thought horrified Trap, who thought that anyone who wanted to join the military was certifiably nutty.

Life seemed pretty mundane for the McIntyre family.

------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: ****MAY 10, 1970****.**

Hawkeye had just left for work; Daniel was doing his weekly surgical appointments in Portland.

Margaret was having the day off; both the kids were at school. She made some breakfast and sat down to watch TV.

Instead of the morning TV soaps and infomercials, she saw tear gas, bullets and blood. The newscaster told the story of how protesters at Kent Sate University had clashed with the police and National Guard.

It resembled the scenes at Watts and Birmingham, Margaret was shocked. She remembered that Becky McIntyre mentioned that she was going to Kent State to complete her Masters degree.

------------

**MCINTYRE HOME, ****BOSTON****, MASS: ****MAY 10, 1970****.**

"JOHN!" screamed Louise, her eyes glued to the TV.

Trap came in from the bathroom, razor still in hand and face covered in shaving cream, "what?" he asked.

Without saying a word, he looked at the TV. Trapper stood and watched as the National Guard quelled the protesters with batons and teargas. They fired into the crowd and everyone was running.

"Oh God, I hope Becky is all right" said Louise, sitting on the edge of the couch crying.

The kitchen phone rang, John sprung up to answer it.

"It's Becky" he said, Louise came into the kitchen to see if her daughter was alright.

"What? How is she, is she hurt?" she asked, anxious,

John handed her the phone, "Here, it's your mother".

"Becky! How are you?" she asked.

"I'm fine, I didn't have any classes today" she said.

Twice the McIntyre children had avoided injury; they considered themselves lucky and the tranquility of the sunshine of that day was forever shattered in the minds of those who were there.

'Cause the players tried to take the field but the marching band refused to yield.

------------

**UNIVERSITY**** OF ****MAINE****, ****PORTLAND****, ****MAINE****: FALL , 1972.**

"Are you sure we're making the right decision?" asked Margaret as she and Hawkeye walked down the long stone walkways of the U of M.

"Yes" said Hawkeye, taking her hand "I'm sure that we have"

The Pierce house was now emptier; Ben was entering his first undergrad year with plans to go to medical school. Daniel concluded that it ran in the family).

------------

**O'REILLY FARM, ****OTTUMWA****, ****IOWA****: ****JULY 27, 1973****.**

It had been twenty long, eventful years since the armistice ending the Korean Police Action had been put into effect. The unit that was the 4077 Mobile Army Surgical Hospital had bugged out long ago; everyone now had lives a world away from the band aid and bailing wire outfit they had once known.

The unit had once again gathered the farm of Radar O'Reilly for the annual celebration of Armistice Day.

Hawkeye had married Margaret and had two kids, Trapper done a 180 and became a dedicated family man with three children. Charles' blue blood now occupied Capitol Hill rather than Beacon Hill whilst BJ had become Chief of General Surgery at Mill Valley General. Max and Soon-Lee had a successful chain of restaurants across the United States whilst from everyone had heard, Frank Burns was still locked up in the nut house.

It was good to see that life changes, sometime for good, sometime for bad, or sometimes just not at all.

------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: ****SEPTEMBER 5, 1973****.**

"Twenty years" said Margaret, as she and Hawkeye sat on the bed.

"Yes, it's amazing, we were so young and now we have the house pretty much all to ourselves, Jane is off to college in a few months and we will be all alone in this big old house"

Margaret glared at him "Ben! I feel old now"

Hawkeye laughed, "Don't" he said, pulling her over to him "We still have each other and the kids will come home for the holidays and with any luck we'll be grandparents soon!"

------------

**ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY****, ****WASHINGTON****, DC: ****NOVEMBER 22, 1973****.**

Not too far from the eternal flame, where one large group gathered to remember to remember the day in Dallas, another group gathered to remember a fallen idol.

It had been ten years since Col. Potter had passed; a large void was forever created in the minds of those that knew him, one that could never be filled.

Everyone: Trapper, BJ, Hawkeye and Margaret along with Klinger, Soon-Lee and Radar gathered around the bronze plaque promoting that Sherm lay below. It was a sacred moment in the 4077th's history.

Charles surrounded by Secret Service goons, stood towards the rear of the group; still a litter resentful at the man that had shanghaied him into the quagmire that was the 4077th.

Everyone paused and they knew that someday, the inevitable moment would come for all of them.

------------

**HUNNICUTT HOME, ****MILL VALLEY****, ****CALIF.****: ****FEBRUARY 4, 1974****.**

A few members of the 4077th: Hawkeye, Margaret and Charles along with their families gathered at the home of the Hunnicutt to celebrate BJ's 50th birthday.

Most sat on the porch and talked, the birds had flown off from the fallout shelter and they were now eight miles high and falling fast.

They all agreed they were over half-way in their lives, all the kids had left home, hopefully BJ and Hawkeye would be grandparents soon, BJ told Hawkeye how Erin had been seeing a friend from college.

Margaret entertained Peg with some similar stories about Ben and Jane as they both worked on lunch.

"Whew" said BJ "I've been alive for a half-century!"

Hawkeye smiled, "yes".

"And in that time, what things we have seen" agreed Charles, he'd fobbed off the customary protection and would spent the rest of the day relaxing.

Margaret smiled "yeah, and there are plenty more things to see".

------------

**CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: ****APRIL 3, 1974****.**

Hawkeye was on his way to work, he looked out the window and marveled at the size the Cove had grown to in the 20 years since he returned from Korea.

One thing bothered him; the city had never given thought to building a hospital that was closer than either Spruce Harbor or Portland. He knew the local fire department had paramedics but it was still 20 minutes to Spruce Harbor.

The civilian world hadn't caught up with what the MASH units had done by sending choppers to evac the wounded from an aid station, despite that fact it was 24 years later.

No bother, concluded Hawkeye, nothing bad ever really happened round here.

------------

**FIRE DEPARTMENT, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: ****APRIL 11, 1974****.**

It was almost midnight and raining hard– nothing great was happening for those manning the fire department that night, the fire trucks and ambulances sat quiet in the vehicle bay.

Meanwhile, a Bell Atlantic operator took a 911 call from a highway phone box and hurriedly looked up the location of the nearest fire station, it was Crabapple Cove.

A long ringing sounded and stirred the firefighters out of bed; the lights in the stationhouse came on and temporarily blinded everyone.

Within a few seconds, bed attire was replaced by heavy turnout gear and the skilled firefighters and paramedics of the Crabapple Cove FD clambered aboard their respective rescue vehicles.

Shattering the night silence were the sounds of sirens and the rumble of tires as the fire department roared off into the darkness.

Not a great deal was known about the call, except that someone called from a phone box along the highway to report that a car had hit a power pole.

------------

**PORTLAND ****MEMORIAL ****HOSPITAL****, ****PORTLAND****, ****MAINE****: ****APRIL 12, 1974****.**

An ambulance screeched round to the emergency entrance, it was just after midnight, and the bright red letters spelling "AMBULANCES ONLY" illuminated the occupants. The siren died as the back doors opened.

On the gurney was Jane Pierce; IV lines, cords and tubes sticking out of here, Hawkeye along with Margaret followed close behind in the squad car that shadowed the ambulance.

The bright lights of the emergency room came into view as paramedics handed off the stretcher to the doctors waiting inside the ambulance bay. Hawkeye spoke briefly with one of the doctors as Margaret ran along side.

"Sir, you'll have to stay out here" said the charge nurse as she pulled the curtain to the trauma room.

"I'm not sir, I'm a doctor, I've been a doctor for nearly thirty years and my wife is a nurse" protested Hawkeye.

The nurse looked at Hawkeye, then Margaret and thought for a second "I'll have to call the supervisor" she said.

One of the trauma surgeons looked at her "shut up" he barked "let them in"

Hawkeye and Margaret proceeded into the trauma room, looking at their daughter on the table, bloodied and bruised; it instilled the fear of God into them.

Up on the fifth floor, Margaret and Hawkeye sat around Jane's bed. She had come out of surgery and Ben had called to say he was coming straight to the hospital.

From what they had heard, the car carrying Jane Pierce, Becky McIntyre and two friends had spun into a power pole. It was the first day of semester break and it had begun in tragedy.

The doctor told Hawkeye that the injuries of those were not serious, just broken ribs, some whiplash and some minor head injuries. That didn't make any difference to Hawkeye, Margaret or Trapper and Louise who all waited at their kid's bedside.

Once again, the 4077th had been struck a terrible blow.

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, MAINE: CHRISTMAS, '76**

Everyone had once again gathered at the Pierce home. It was Christmas and the annual tradition was in full swing, the house was lovingly decorated, the fire burned brightly and the smell of food from the kitchen made everyone hungrier than before.

Most of the 4077th, with the exclusion of Radar had celebrated their 50th birthday and were looking forward to many more happy years. Hawkeye and Margaret along with BJ and Peg were expectant Grandparents.

Radar had finished studying to become a veterinarian and was planning to open a practice in Ottumwa, Charles was serving his second term a US Senator and from what everyone heard, Frank was still locked up in the loopy bin.

------------

**MARINE CORPS TRAINING DEPORT, ****PARIS**** IS., S.C.: ****AUGUST 23, 1977****.**

It was graduation day for Marine Corps boot camp number 08/77. Fifty young newly appointed Privates stood watching as the rows of family, relatives and friends applauded.

"James Henry McIntyre, Private First Class, # 2255101" thundered a very rough looking MastGySgt (Master Gunnery Sergeant) as he stood at the dais.

Jim McIntyre, dressed in his navy and white Marine Corps uniform stepped forward to be awarded the USMC emblem and the became a member of "The few, the proud", Semper Fidelis.

Trap looked on in a mix of joy and horror. The war in Vietnam had finished a few years before, and what if something similar came up? He hated the thought that a kid of his would enlist in the military, which he saw absolutely no sanity in doing.

On the other hand he was happy that his son found something he loved.

His son was to become a corpsman (the USMC don't have 'medics') and continue his pacifistic ways, Jim thought to highly of himself to be a rifleman.

------------

**LOS ANGELES GENERAL, LOS ****ANGELES****, ****CA****: DECEMBER 12. 1977.**

LAFD Paramedics burnt rubber round the corner and up to the main gate of the hospital, the ambulance spun round to the emergency entrance where a gurney team stood waiting.

Erin Hunnicutt was on the gurney, very in labor. Her parents sat beside her and waited as the paramedics pulled out the stretcher and raced inside.

The gurney was pushed into the nearest elevator and taken up to maternity.

"Daddy, I'm scared" said Erin, gripping BJ's hand fiercely.

"Sssssh, it's ok, I've done this a thousand times, everything's fine" he reassured his daughter.

------------

**OFFICE OF ALAN SKINNER, M.D., ****WASHINGTON****, ****DC****: ****DECEMBER 12, 1977******

Sen. Charles Emmerson Winchester sat in the waiting room of his doctor's office, why, he concluded, couldn't _he_ be his own doctor, after all was one.

He grimaced, something was really gnawing at him lately, but no doubt his doctor would sort it out. Charles thought of everything he could have and was unable to find the answer.

"Winchester?" asked the nurse "are you in excruciating pain or are you just being yourself?

Charles grumbled out something.

"Well OK then" said the nurse

As he sat there, Charles started to feel funny, suddenly his eyes began to drift out of focus, he turned limp and slumped out of his seat and onto the floor.

"Oh my God, what's wrong?" screamed someone as one of the doctors stepped out of his office with a patient. He saw what had happened and rushed over.

"I'll call 911" said one of the nurses as she dashed back to the front desk.

The doctor rolled Charles over, his eyes had sunk into his head and his tongue fell out his mouth. He flashed a penlight into Charles' eyes and checked for a heartbeat.

Within a few minutes, the paramedics arrived and Charles was on his way to Walter Reed


	9. Do You Recall the '70s man?

Usual disclaimer, I got sick of writing it.

Once again, I claim no genius when it comes to names or certain aspects of politics, so just let it be.

------------

**LOS ANGELES GENERAL, LOS ****ANGELES****, ****CA****.****DECEMBER 13, 1977****.**

Erin Hunnicutt lay in her hospital bed. BJ and Peg sat beside her, after many hours in labor she gave birth to a healthy baby girl.

She had decided to name the 6lb, 8oz green eyed bundle of joy Lisa Jane Hunnicutt, after no one in particular she concluded.

There was a knock at the door, in stepped Mike, Erin's boyfriend. (A/N: because this still the '70s and my current mindset is a bit too liberal, I feel that the following event would have transpired)

"Hi Mike, how ya' doin?" asked BJ.

Mike stepped in and gazed at his daughter, "I'm doing very well thanks Dr. Hunnicutt"

BJ smiled, "call me BJ" he said.

Peg looked at Erin and Lisa "so, Mike are you proud of your handiwork?" she asked.

A broad smile spread across Mike's face "yes Mrs. Hunnicutt, I sure am. I was thinking that after I get that promotion we should get married."

(A/N: see what I mean?)

This came as a surprise to Peggy and BJ, in one day they became both grandparents and in-laws.

------------

**WALTER REED HOSPITAL****, ****WASHINGTON****, DC: ****DECEMBER 15, 1977******

Charles sat in the patient lounge in his wheelchair, watching the TV. People aimlessly wandered round in bathrobes, clutching IV poles.

His doctor had been by earlier; Charles was the apparent victim of a mild stroke. The doctor told him that it was bought on by some kind of mild neurological hemorrhage.

Charles just sat there and listened as he was told he would have decreased use of his left side, he felt like the corporal he'd told in Korea that he couldn't play the piano anymore.

And just like him, he asked "how long?"

The doctor sighed "permanently probably, it's a good thing you don't make a living cutting people up anymore doctor Winchester"

With that, he was gone.

Sitting in the hospital, surrounded by veterans of foreign wars, government people and G-Men, Charles had to sigh. He was 60 years old, another few and e could retire.

Yeah, life was a bitch he concluded. But before long, he hoped, he'd be back on Capital Hill or at his family retreat on Cape Cod.

------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: CHRISTMAS, 1977**

The 4077th had once again converged on the Pierce home. It had become something of a tradition since 1953. There was a change this year however: Frank sat at the table. This was a big surprise to everyone.

BJ and Peg, Erin and husband Mike, with new arrival Lisa, Patty, Radar and his family along with Fr. Mulchay and the Klingers and the McIntyre family had all come for Christmas.

Jim McIntyre was granted Christmas leave from the Marines and attended, sharing his stories of military medicine, '70s style. Although he hadn't gone overseas yet, he hoped to soon.

"So Beej, how does it feel to be a grandpa?" teased Hawkeye, who looked over at Jane and Ben, as if to say "where are my grandchildren??"

They both smiled, Daniel Pierce looked at Hawkeye, "Son, I had to wait, so do you".

Everyone laughed.

Charles made a fashionable late entrance, blaming his doctor at Walther Reed for holding up his discharge.

"I should have expected this from a Yale man' he grumbled.

"Why Charles, how nice of you to join us" joked Klinger.

The fire burned brightly and the Christmas tree shone in the den as everyone sat down to what was another delicious Christmas meal in Crabapple Cove.

After dinner, the doctor Pierce Jr. and his girlfriend Rachel stood up from the table and asked for everyone's attention.

"Well," said Ben "I'll keep this simple, dad I know that you've waited almost 24 years for grandkids, so here goes. We're getting married".

There was a round of applause and cheering from everyone, Margaret almost fell over with surprise, and Hawkeye couldn't believe what he heard.

"Married!?" he said with a big grin "wow Ben, that's amazing!"

------------

**CHEZ KLINGER INC, ****TOLEDO****, ****OHIO****: ****FEBRUARY 7, 1978****.**

Klinger sat at his spacious desk in his top floor executive suite, he was still CEO of the fourth largest food chain on the planet, with over 200 locations worldwide, he figured that McDonalds and Burger King would be out of business within five years.

Although he was just over 50, he had no ambition of retiring, although he did own four houses, a beach house or two, a private jet and cruise liner along with three cars and a nice nest egg.

Yeah, life was absolutely perfect.

------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: ****MARCH 8, 1978****.**

The Pierce house was once again decorated for matrimony, the same gazebo that Hawkeye and Margaret were married under in 1953 stood on the lawn, tables of food, chairs and decorations were all around.

Most of the 4077th had come along, Ben and Hawkeye stood in the foyer, contemplating the events that lay ahead.

"Well son" said Hawkeye "I know that your mother made me a very happy man, I just hope that you find the same happiness with Rachel"

Ben Pierce smiled "thanks Dad"

Hawkeye looked at his eldest child, "knock 'em dead Ben"

"Nah, it's bad for business"

The bridal party proceeded to the gazebo, where after the blessings of Father Mulchay, Ben and Rachel were married. Everyone looked on as they kissed and seemed to be very happy with each other.

Margaret sat in the front row beside Hawkeye and cried, her little boy had gotten married.

It was another step in the life of the 4077th, an old unit that bugged out long, long ago, never to be the same again.

------------

**FORMER SITE OF MASH 4077, ****OJJOUNBU****, ****KOREA****.****JULY 27, 1978****.**

"Good Evening, I'm Clete Roberts and this is Korea: 25 years on" the older, graying man stood in front of the camp, a shell of what used be.

In honor of 25 years of peace, old units and the members of the Panmujohn peace talks returned to Korea to reunite and share memories. The Army works in odd ways.

The OR building, an ambulance or two and some tent shells were all the remained of MASH, the buildings had been dismantled

A thin, grey man with glasses and very little hair stood in the compound and relived his former role within the army, "choppers!" Radar yelled, the camera followed the path of two helicopters that came over the mountains and towards the old chopper pad.

Just as it used to during the fighting, an ambulance churned up the path to the pad and waited for the helicopters to come in.

Instead of Bell 47-G Sioux carrying wounded, two UH-1 Iroquois ferrying the former MASH staff landed in a cloud of dust.

The ambulance collected the former surgeons, head nurse and company clerk before heading down the path to what remained of the camp.

"How has life treated you after the war?" Clete asked the former surgical staff.

"Well, I've seen a lot of things" said Margaret, her blonde hair sprinkled with grey "for one, I've gotten married and had children, along with a lot of experiences, I've seen Colonel Potter pass on, I saw President Kennedy get shot, on the same day I might add. Then there was the war in Vietnam………when I examine what I've seen since 1953, I can say that life has been good and bad to me"

Clete smiled and turned to Radar, "Walter, what do you think the biggest change has been since coming home?"

Radar smiled "well………I've got to say getting married and having children"

This took the old reporter by surprise "you got married and had kids?" he asked

"Oh yes sir, I met a nurse on my way back here just before I went home, when I got back to the States I looked her up. After a few years, we had children. Rebecca is now almost 20 and William is 22"

Clete smiled and turned to Hawkeye "Now, Dr. Pierce, you're still Doctor Pierce I take it?"

Hawkeye smiled "yes, yes, very much so. My dad who is now almost 80 still has his practice in town and I am still there. My wonderful wife Margaret is our head nurse".

Clete looked at Margaret, "you mean Major Houlihan?"

"Yes, well, the former Major and I got married about two months after we returned, I tell you, it sure was a match made in Heaven"

Trapper smiled "yeah, it's sure different from when you first met her. She bit your head off and you replied that she was some 'regular army clown', well, I guess I was dead wrong"

"So, back to my question" asked Clete "what will you remember in the 25 years since the war ended?"

Hawkeye was silent for a moment, a tiny tear formed in the corner of his eye, "well, I've got to say one really bad day. It was November 22, 1963. In Crabapple Cove at least, it was bright sunshine. However, that day we lost both Sherman and John Kennedy, it was a real blow"

Everyone nodded in unison, even Charles..

The old grey newsman turned towards BJ, sitting quietly on a log "now, Dr. Hunnicutt, what do you think you'll remember most about the war?"

BJ looked at everyone and sighed "well, I remember when I first got here; we stole the jeep belonging to a Major General to get back here, got a flat and were ambushed by a bunch of guerillas. I eventually arrived half drunk and remembered insulting our CO at the time, Major Buns. It was a lot of fun"

Clete smiled "what happened to Frank Burns?" he asked

"He lost it when he heard about Hawkeye and Ho…....Margaret getting married" said Trapper "Frank made brief appearances at both the wedding and one of our reunions, always surrounded by goons from the nut house"

"You mean he was put into an institution?" asked Clete

"Yes, his cheese fell off his cracker" said Klinger.

After several more questions, everyone stood up and took a wander around what remained of their previous home.

The large OR building still stood, except for a few "Give Blood" signs and some old knick-knacks it was essentially gutted.

"Wow" said Klinger as they took a tour of the OR, its concrete floor still in place with initials and the date of "March 1953" scratched into it.

"I remember when you guys would work for hours and hours on end in here patching people up, it was amazing"

Margaret laughed "yeah, and remember that _we_ were the ones patching those people up"

A shell of the Swamp still stood a few items such as a sock or a toothbrush remained on the dirt. The bunks, still and other items were long gone.

Both Margaret's and the CO's tent remained as a few pieces of wood, the trash dump was still there, minus the tank. The generator shed was still there as was a section of wall from the mess tent.

Everyone talked as they walked around what remained of the camp. After several hours and many shared memories, the crew that was the 4077th forever departed and waved goodbye, just as they had done a quarter of a century before.

------------

**MCINTYRE HOME, ****BOSTON****, MASS: ****MARCH 2, 1982******

Trapper and Louise had invited Hawk, Margaret and family for the weekend. At age 58, John was taking an early retirement package from Boston General, where he wound up Deputy Administrator.

Becky and Cathy along with their families had also come along. Jim was unable to attend; he was with a Marine Corps medical team in Saudi Arabia.

Margaret and Louise sat on the deck sipping lemonade. Hawk and Trapper stood at the barbeque, cooking lunch and shooting flames high into the air, they loved it.

Ben and Rachel Pierce along with their kids; Lucy, Benjamin Franklin Pierce III and Aaron had come to celebrate 'Uncle Trap' retiring. Hawkeye and Margaret finally had the grandchildren they were looking for!

"So Trapper, what do you perceive retirement bringing?" asked Hawkeye

"Not sure" said Trap 'I can see lots of fishing, golf and TV"

------------

**OFFICE OF SEN. WINCHESTER (R—MA.), ****WASHINGTON****, ****DC****: ****SEPTEMBER 4, 1983****.**

An older, larger version of the Charles that we last saw in 1978 sat behind a large desk in his inner office. His remaining hair had turned a grey/white, as he wrote notes, he remembered Ted Kennedy's memo.

Charles' new bill to promote employment and better health care (which would ultimately benefit the rich he concluded) was to be voted on today.

After twenty three years in the senate, a minor stroke and a nice stash of riches, Charles Emmerson Winchester concluded that life was good; he was 66 years old and would not stand for re-election, having passed the Federal age limit of 65.

Although, he pondered, Lyndon Johnson extended the limit for J. Edgar Hoover, so why not him?

"Senator Winchester?" buzzed his secretary, "Your eleven o'clock is here"

In walked, of all people, newly appointed SgtMajMC (Sgt. Major of the Marine Corps) Jim McIntyre, proudly clad in his blue and white USMC outfit.

He stopped three paces from the Senators desk and his left arm shot up to salute him "Good morning Senator, Sgt. Maj. James H. McIntyre reporting as requesting"

Charles smiled "Good morning Sergeant McIntyre, what can I do for you?"

Jim remained at attention, standing in front of his desk, eyes front and center. Charles looked him, then the guest seats, then back at him.

"A Marine never sits until authorized to sir" Jim said.

This made the old grey ex-surgeon laugh "you may sit Sergeant"

Jim sat down, "Sir, this Marine is attempting to enter Officer Candidate School, he would be very grateful if the Senator could supply him with a letter of recommendation, if you don't mind. Sir"

Charles looked at him, he either a) loved the Marine Corps or b) had it firmly wedged up his butt

He leaned forward "sure, sure son. I'll give you a letter of recommendation; let me see what else I can drum up, where are you stationed?"

"Marine Corps Recruiting Station, Washington DC" Jim said, it seems he was now peddling door-to-door enlistment contracts.

Charles looked at Jim "OK, great, now Jim. Take off that hat of yours and tell me, do you like it in the Marines?"

Jim looked at the Senator "I do. However, when on duty, I'm loyal to the Corps, if you want to talk off-the-record about it, call me after 6" He handed Charles one of his business cards.

"Do you have a case of 'yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir' McIntyre?"

The young Marine looked at him, "after six sir. Good day"

He saluted, grabbed his hat and walked out.


	10. Life Carries On

Usual disclaimer, I got sick of writing it.

Suggestions please bencoffmanihug.co.nz good bad or otherwise, peace.

I am unsure if Col. Potter ever mentioned his character's birthday, but he mentioned in "Settling Debts" (12/6/1983) that his birthday "was last month", so that's where I get that from.

------------

**MCINTYRE HOME, ****BOSTON****, MASS: ****MARCH 11, 1985******

It was a drizzly evening in Boston, raining yet again. John McIntyre parked in the driveway and squashed thorough the mush to his front door, fumbling with the keys and groceries.

He muttered something as he trod inside. Louise was making dinner; Becky had come east from LA with Jay and her kids for a vacation.

It was good to have some company in the house. Jim had been transferred to Georgia, Cathy was in Canada as an IBM lawyer and the house was all too often empty.

Trapper placed the groceries on the kitchen floor and hugged his wife, who was busy making dinner.

"Did you have a good day?" she asked

"No, not really" John sighed "it's no fun not working anymore. I sit round the house and do nothing; I go out and play golf or watch some TV, its boring"

Louise sighed, "Well…..you need to find yourself a hobby, woodcraft or something. Go to the library and have a look."

He sighed, why? He couldn't be bothered; there was nothing exciting to look forward to in the library.

John got a beer and proceeded to his big easy chair in the den. Becky was reading "People" while John, 18 and Kate, 15 watched TV.

"You know Dad" said Becky, holding up the back page of _People_ "why you try this?"

There, on the back page, was a big advertisement with "LEARN TO FLY" written on it. John smiled "no thanks honey. I've already had one very good friend die in a plane crash and I don't fancy following that same route"

Trapper sighed and thought of Henry. He wondered what the 4077th was like without him, what kind of CO was Col. Potter? Although nearly 35 years had past since he went to Korea, the war had left an impression on the 60-year-ex army captain and surgeon.

------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: ****JULY 19, 1985******

It was a warm day in the Cove, there was a light breeze and the sweet sea smell filled the air.

Hawkeye and Margaret sat on the porch.

"You know" he said "it's been almost 35 years since we went to Korea"

Margaret looked at him and thought for a minute, "Yeah it is. Wow, in that's a long time, you know…..we've seen some truly amazing things haven't we?"

Looking out to sea, Hawkeye nodded "yes, we have. It was absolutely terrible what with the amount of wounded we'd get and the crummy conditions we had to live in"

Margaret nodded 'yeah, it was hell. But there were a few things that made it better. We'd get R & R sometimes, then there was always the officers club or …..you" she smiled.

"Did I tell you that I drove past Tommy Gilles old house the other day, it looks exactly the way it did when I left. I'll never forget being so happy to see him and then he died, right there in front of me on the operating table"

A tiny tear fell from Hawk's eye; Margaret pulled him towards her and gave him a hug.

------------

**HOTEL FT. WORTH, ****FT. WORTH****, ****TEX****: ****SEPTEMBER 5, 1987****.**

"Twenty-five-years" said Hawkeye as he and Margaret sat in the hotel restaurant. They had been together for 25 long years, thorough war and peace, good times and some very bad ones.

The times they had-a changed and things were different than when they first met in 1950. Despite all this time, the war had still embedded its deep fibers in them; Hawkeye was still a bit anxious of small children and didn't like to take the bus.

Margaret was glad to be out of the Army, she never did the big city hospital post she told everyone about in the mess tent. Although she was the chief nurse of Crabapple Cove's most liked doctor's office, which let her get to know the patients better.

She like small town life but often thought of her other family from the 4077th, remembering all those good times she had with Col. Potter, Hawkeye and BJ.

Also with her for life, the terrible memories of the dying arriving on the meat wagon, it came back to haunt her every now and again.

As Hawk and Margaret enjoyed dinner, an older man in his mid-fifties walked away from the bar. His hair was graying, Margaret looked at him, she was sure she knew that face from somewhere.

The man looked back, it clicked after a second or two. "Scully?" she asked

He smiled; a very much older version of the ever pro and demoted Jack Scully both had known in Korea came towards their table.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in" said Hawkeye, who got up to shake hands.

"Hawkeye! What a surprise to see you here with, of all people, Margaret Houlihan"

They both smiled "so" asked Margaret, "what brings you here?"

Scully smiled, "well, I'm in town to see my stepchildren. I got married twice after Korea and took a job in New York. Are the two of you friends?"

"uh….no, not per se' said Margaret, "Hawkeye and I are celebrating twenty five years of marriage"

Jack's eyes almost fell out of his head, he was taken aback "wow, you two, married!"

Hawkeye laughed, "heh, yeah, we have two kids and four grandkids"

"hey, that's pretty good" said Scully, "well Hawkeye, Margaret it was nice to see you and learn how things have gotten on, if you're ever in New York, look me up"

Margaret rolled her eyes "Jack, I don't think so. Don't fool yourself, we had a very minute something and that was almost thirty years ago, I think it's good that you have a life and wish you the very best, other than that, we have nothing in common"

Hawkeye tried to hide behind the menu, not one to get verbally emotive.

"see ya Jack" said Hawkeye.

------------

**WINCHESTER**** RETREAT, ****CAPE COD****, ****MASS.****JANUARY 1, 1988****.**

The sun shone on the clear, blue ocean. It was a beautiful day on Cape Cod as four generations of Winchesters sat on the deck.

Charles had left the Senate and was now chief medical advisor to the American College of Surgeons. Charles Emmerson Winchester IV was a successful Deputy District Attorney.

Despite being nearly 90 and retired for many-a year, Charles' father was still a powerful influence upon Beacon Hill.

"You know" said Charles, gazing out into the ocean "the sea looks exactly as it did when I flew into San Francisco harbor in '53"

The war still clung to Charles' mind; every now and then he would remember the site of the Chinese musician lying in the triage area.

He'd think about the blood and death and wake up in a cold sweat still haunted by the memories created so long ago.

------------

**3RD MARINE REGIMENT, ****NORTHERN IRAQ****: MAY 1991**

It was hot, smelly and dusty. A cavalcade of trucks, tanks and jeeps blasted along a dusty Iraqi road, knowing at any second they could be ambushed.

_"Dear mom and dad. It's awful here, the temperature is above 100 degrees during the day and falls below freezing at night; dust and awful smells are everywhere. I'm with a field hospital attached to the infantry; we don't get many casualties luckily._

_I remember Dad telling me stories of Korea and how they would get shelled, flooded with wounded and have no supplies all at once. It must have been horrible. _

_Sleep is a luxury, we live on "C" rations most days and are never in one spot for long, luckily I have a very fine number of people under my command and know I'll be home soon_

_Love always, Cap'n Jim"_

Jim McIntyre sat in the back of a truck, sandwiched between ten other guys and lots of supplies, being an officer gave him no particular privileges on this trip.

The caravan blasted on into the vast expanse of Iraqi desert.

------------

**1500 DEFENSE PENTAGON, ****WASHINGTON**** DC: ****MARCH 13, 1993******

The Secretary of the Navy sat behind his large oak desk, medals, ribbons and other accolades lined the walls.

Photos of Korea, Vietnam and the Gulf War ships and men posing on the flight deck meant to Jim McIntyre that this man was nothing short of a God.

He leaned forward and fixated his gaze on the 28 year old Marine Corps Colonel that sat before him.

"Now" he said, flashing at a thick dossier on his desk, "Colonel McEnroe"

Jim cut him off, "It's _McIntyre_, Mr. Secretary"

What was this guy wondering? Was he here to crucify me or promote me to General, maybe I being forced into early retirement…… a million thoughts flashed thorough Jim's mind, a hot feeling raced thorough him.

He looked at the Secretary, who had fixated his gaze on McIntyre; Jim assumed he was pissed at being corrected by some puss bucket Colonel.

"Right, McIntyre, I have some business to discuss" he snapped his fingers at the aide, a Marine Corps Captain, standing beside the door, "why don't you go get a coffee" he suggested, sounding more like an order.

The aide spoke up, "thank you Mr. Secretary, but I'm fine" this didn't do good things for him.

Looking at Jim, the Secretary ordered him to dispose of the lower ranking officer.

"Captain, you will stand down so we can talk about things behind your back, is that clear or should I call the boys in Leavenworth"

With the Captain gone faster than superman, the Secretary looked at Jim.

"How long have you been in the Marines son?" he asked, fixating his gaze beyond Jim and at the door.

Jim's heart was racing beyond expectation, was he about to be fired, didn't they like him? Or was he being upped into some policy-pushing staff position, after all these years, they couldn't let him go!

"Almost 20 years" Jim said, his voice shaky……was this it, was he being shoved onto some pension and shipped off into the woods, or as the guys called it the "shut up if you know what's good for you" allowance?

The Secretary eased back in his big comfy chair and looked at Jim, nervous as hell.

"Son, the Marines have given you medical school, a place to sleep and meals three times a day for almost twenty years, what would you say if I told you that you'd outlived your service contract?"

No, no, he can't be saying this. Jim's heart sank and hit the floor; he was fucked, thoroughly and totally shanghaied. Why, why him?

He tried to splutter something in his defense, something to save his ass from being turfed out cold.

"Well, you've got a family don't you?" asked the secretary

'Yes, I've got a wife and two kids" Jim said, a million thoughts flashing through his mind, wondering what he was going to do, how he'd do things after nearly his entire adult life in the Corps.

"Good, and I'll bet you that they don't like you being deployed, going over to some fucked up country now do they?"

The mood of this guy was changing; Jim was nervous and ready to leave.

"No, no they don't"

"Fair enough, what would you say to being appointed to Walter Reed and upped to a Major General? After all, with your impressive service record, what, two silver stars, a purple heart, a combat medical badge, three citations for bravery, very impressive son, son?"

Jim just sat there, frozen and unable to utter a sound. This had come too fast and smashed into him like a ton of bricks. It took a few seconds for him to process it all.

"Yes, yes, I'll accept." he spluttered out, was Five O'clock Charlie back?

The Secretary's face lit up immensely, he seemed happy.

"Great, the last guy we had in the position was a drunk and a pill popper; I'll call up and have his ass sacked. Come see me on Thursday at 11. You like Thai food...….good"

With that Jim left the Secretary's office, overjoyed at the thought of telling Trapper and his family that he didn't have to go overseas anymore and that he would be in a position of extreme responsibility and power.

This was one day where nothing could go wrong!

------------

**O'REILLY FARM, ****OTTUMWA****, ****IOWA****: ****APRIL 12, 1994******

A short, plump man with glasses and grey hair sat on the porch and drunk his morning coffee while reading the paper.

Radar had aged somewhat in the 40 years since he went to Korea, his face was beginning to sag and his hair was white.

A year shy of sixty, he was still practicing as a vet in Ottumwa, much loved by everyone, including his wife Patti, still looking (in his eyes) as pretty as she was when they first met at Kimpo.

Radar still thought about Henry and his bumbling was of running things at the 4077th, the jokes and good times they shared and his fatherly warmness. Radar missed Henry and the 4077th gang.

Only another few months till the 40th reunion he thought. Patti came outside to catch some morning sunshine before heading to work.

"Morning" he said, giving her a kiss "you know, you still look as beautiful as when I first met you!"

Patti giggled "you tell me that every morning"

A few minutes later, Radar climbed into his truck and headed the few minutes into Ottumwa.

As he pulled out the driveway, he waved goodbye to his wife.

------------

**HUNNICUTT HOME, ****MILL VALLEY****, ****CA****: ****APRIL 12, 1994******

BJ relaxed on the deck while Peg, Erin and Lisa were inside making lunch and mussing over girlish issues he was never one for. The phone rang, BJ was about to get up when Erin answered.

"Yeah, sure" she said, passing it out the window to her dad.

"Hello, oh hi Hawkeye" he said, "yeah, things are good. I heard from Patti and Radar the other day, how are things in Crabapple Cove?"

Hawkeye assured BJ that things were good and that he'd gotten a letter from Charles inviting him to dinner on New Years.

"Only two months till we reunite, boy, what's it been now, 40 years?" said BJ, doing quick mental math.

"No, uh, 41" Hawkeye told him "It's been a long time I agree"

For the next little while, BJ and Hawkeye talked about the upcoming reunion, family, the latest news and general things.

------------

**STAN'S GROCERY AND LOTTERY, ****OTTUMWA****, ****IOWA****: ****APRIL 12, 1994**

Patti walked out of the grocery store and as she loaded the bags into her car something caught her eye. Across the road, stood the fire station, something was up, two fire trucks and an ambulance pulled to the curb.

The driver checked for traffic both ways and then pulled out onto the road; he flipped his lights and siren before accelerating down the street.

Patti watched as they sped off, after a few seconds she went back to loading her groceries into the trunk, hoping that nothing serious had happened.

------------

**O'REILLY FARM, ****OTTUMWA****, ****IOWA****: ****APRIL 25, 1994****.**

A long procession of cars proceeded down the now sealed road that led to the O'Reilly farm. It hadn't taken long for the word to spread round the country, the 4077th had, for the third time in its long and colorful history, been dealt a swift, hard blow.

It seemed that just minutes after leaving his office for some lunch, Radar's pickup was collected by an eighteen wheel Mack truck at a blind intersection.

From the location of the callbox where a passing driver called the fire department, it was calculated the Radar was just 2/10ths of a mile from his house.

The front yard was full of people, the entire 4077th had turned up, the local press where having a field day, and half of Ottumwa was there. The Army, thorough the Korean War Veterans Memorial Fund, had paid for the service and provided the usual military honors.

BJ, Hawkeye, Margaret, Charles, Klinger and Trapper carried the casket, Radar's two daughters brought up the rear and the Guard of Honor led the group.

"Today, we are once again facing the departure of a much loved and admired member of the 4077th" began Father Mulchay "I remember when Radar, as we called him, tried to put thorough a call, it was hand-to-hand combat. He was such a nice, humorous person. As time went on; he grew up a lot and I still remember the day he went home. The place just wasn't the same without him. Now we are faced with having to say goodbye for good, it is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we must bid him adieu. Goodbye Radar"

Everyone wept as the Father stepped down. He took his seat and watched as everyone cried. Hawkeye sat there, not really crying, not saying much. Margaret looked at him, worried.

"Hawkeye, are you ok?" she asked, looking into the empty gaze in his eyes.

"Ben" she gently shook his shoulder, "what's the matter?"

He jumped a bit, startled out of his deep thoughts.

"Oh, nothing" he said,

------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: CHRISTMAS, 1994**

"Hawkeye, tell me what's wrong" Sidney sat with Hawkeye on the couch, "I remember this very thing happening all them years ago in Korea, what is it?"

Hawkeye sighed "well if you must know my problems are that one of my best friends is dead, I'm 70 years old and have been forced to give up my medical license. I sit here most days, with just Margaret for company. It's get lonely and boring sometimes"

Listening intently Sidney looked at his friend, obviously troubled by what the past year had bought him.

"Well" he said "Life brings us good times and bad. We must understand why something has happened and deal with it. You're a doctor, and I know it's hard, but I assume you can understand why Radar died, everyone had to Hawkeye. I know this seems rather depressing but it's the truth"

The graying physiatrist looked at his friend and waited for an answer, "You should quit dwelling on the fact that he is gone and remember for what he was. I can't fully understand it myself, but I know this will pass. I've had friends of mine die over the years and I've gotten over it. I'm here if you need me"

With that, he got up and went into the kitchen. Margaret looked anxiously at him, waiting for some kind of confirmation that he was on the road to getting over this.

"Well, how is he?" asked Margaret, a worried tone in her voice

Sidney sighed and sat down at the table, "well, it's not going to be easy, but it should get better, I told him to try and stop dwelling on why Radar had died to remember him for his life. I'm fairly confident he can manage that"

Once again, Hawkeye had to deal with the fact that someone he cared about and liked had departed this earth.

------------

**ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY****, ****WASHINGTON****, DC: NOVEMBER, 1998**

The group that was the 4077th (now minus four members) gathered around the burial site of Col. Potter, to celebrate what would have been his 100th birthday.

All were now old, grey and retired and in the 45 years since had left Korea, everyone had gotten lives and moved on from the war. There were however, exceptions such as Henry, Millie Carpenter, Col. Potter and Radar. They never got the chance to completely move on from the war or even see the end of it.

"He was such a nice, dear and sweet man" said Margaret "so, it's been a century since he came into the world"

Charles stood silent, he sighed "You know something, as much as I hated him in the beginning for assigning me to the 4077th, I know now that he was such a great person. I told him I'd always be guided by his warmth and humor. Even all these years later, I still hold true to that"

A slight drizzle began to fall, the group stood silent for a few more seconds then shared goodbyes and went their separate ways.

------------

**MCINTYRE HOME, ****BOSTON****, MASS: ****AUGUST 3, 1999******

It was late. John and Louise -- both now well into their 70s and showing it – lay in bed; Trapper wrote while Louise watched _Nightline_.

"John" said Louise, turning the TV volume down "what is it you keep writing so furiously in that think pad of yours?"

Trapper sighed, took of his glasses and put his pen down, "it's my memoirs"

Trying not to laugh, Louise held it in "memoirs about what exactly?"

Continuing to scratch away at the pad with his pen Trap answered "it's about Korea. I want to put all my memories down and let others see that war isn't how we see it in the movies. I've put everything in here. Henry, Frank, HotLips, the day Tommy Gillis died. It's something I need to do"

Louise looked at Trapper and shrugged it off, she felt that John had put all that stuff long behind him, but she'd support her husband if necessary.

------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: ****JANUARY 9, 2000**

Less than ten days into the new millennium, when the world and the 4077th were still celebrating and aghast at the wonders to come, something happened.

The year was still young when it happened. Dr. Daniel James Pierce was the last one left, the last one to grace the earth. His beloved wife Joan had died in the thirties, he'd been on his own for nearly seventy years. Colonel Alvin and Jane Houlihan had died in the late eighties, and he was the last one.

In the early morning hours of January 9, he died quietly of natural causes, in his home that he'd lived in for almost a hundred years. He'd seen his only child grow up and leave for Korea young and immature only to return a changed person with the love of his life, his Margaret. He had seen Hawkeye take Margaret into his backyard and promise to love her for all eternity, as he had both his grandchildren.

Every year, the extended family from the 4077th would arrive for a wonderful meal and lots of talking and laughter. The home he would take his grandchildren into the backyard and read stories or play with them, the home where he had formed so many memories and had such a long and happy life would become his final resting place.

------------

**DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, ****WASHINGTON**** DC: ****JULY 2, 2001**

Dressed in his blue and white dress uniform, four General stars and a heavy medal board decorating it, USMC Gen. James Henry McIntyre walked down a long, corridor.

He knew the weight of the action he was about to take, he'd mulled over it for a few months and decided to finally do it

Jim greeted the Master Sgt of an MP at the door to the Secretary's outer office; he stood at rigid attention in a perfect manner. Jim smiled and told him he was doing a great job and to stand down.

"How long have you been in Marines son?" he asked, with a friendly smile and tone of a drinking buddy instead of the usual hard-core tightly wound military man.

The sergeant relaxed and replied eight months.

The General laughed and said "well sergeant, I recall when I had been in the Marines' that was some 27 years ago. Now, you are very fortunate to probably hear the last words I'll ever give a soldier, if you make yourself proud of your action, which is the most important thing. It doesn't matter what some General like myself thinks, if you make yourself proud to wear the uniform and know you didn't kill anyone then you have done well"

With that, General Jim continued into the Secretary's office where he'd sat some ten years earlier and accepted this job. Now there was a new secretary and a new reason for being here.

"Good morning General" said the new Secretary of the Navy, a broad tall African American, his Naval hat sat on his desk. A photo of a Vietnam unit was on the wall, this man meant business.

"Good morning Mr. Secretary" said Jim as he sat down and crossed his legs, in anticipation of uttering what he'd worked on all week. A hot flash ran thorough his body.

"Mr. Secretary, there is a very specific reason that I am here. I enlisted at the age of 17 in 1974, when we were still at war with the Vietnamese. I've been on five tours of duty, gone to medical school on the Corps' dime and have been promoted 24 times. I feel I've come as far as I can go here, I know I have, you can't promote me again, and I'm almost 50 years old. I want out"

This surprised the Secretary of the Navy; he sat up and took note of what Jim had just said.

"OK, if you really want out, I can work on that today. I think your right, I've looked at your record many times, you've got a whole drawer full of medals, citations and those medal bars on your chest must weight more than an artillery gun"

They made small talk for a few more minutes and after that Jim walked out, having turned in his Marine Corps ID and would now be a free man, free to go out and do whatever fancy took him.

All of the McIntyre children had done well. Becky was a top lawyer for the Government, Cathy worked for the FBI and Jim had just spent that last twenty odd years as a Marine.

They'd make John proud.

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_I do not claim to agree with the spin-off events of September 11 but the next section is dedicated to everyone that gave their life on September 11, 2001 – especially members of the Police and FDNY_

------------

**HUNNICUTT HOME, ****MILL VALLEY****, ****CA****.****SEPTEMBER 11, 2001******

BJ and Peg were eating breakfast, they turned on the TV. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary in the few seconds before the world came to its knees, as it had done in Dallas all those years earlier.

Then, the first plane struck. Peg screamed as BJ watched intensely, the event registered but nothing was being processed.

"Oh God! What's happening?" asked Peg, not really expecting an answer, she watched as a plume of smoke and fire rose from the tower. It looked like something out of a movie.

For the next several minutes, they watched in silence. Just as they had listened to Walter Cronkite in 1963 report the news that Kennedy had been shot, they listened as they heard the news that would define the beginning of the 21st century.

The thought of a war flashed into BJ's mind, what if his grandkid's were sent to fight?

------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: ****SEPTEMBER 11, 2001******

Like most around the country that morning, Hawkeye and Margaret sat glued to the TV set. They saw the carnage and horror unfold in front of their eyes, just as it had done at Pearl Harbor and in Dallas.

Margaret was crying, "Oh, why, why, why it's awful" she sobbed, Hawkeye hugged her tightly and stared blankly at the TV.

"Sssshhh, it's OK, it's OK, everything will work out" Hawkeye tried to console his wife; he himself was still trying to grasp the situation.

On that beautiful September morning, the world changed for good and the innocence of the world went out the window. As with events in the past, the members of the 4077th were there to see it.

Like all those that were there to see it, whether it be Pearl Harbor, Dallas or September 11, the world lost it's sense of innocence and protectiveness, for it was (and will continue to be) the defining moment of this generation.

------------

**DETROIT ****MEMORIAL ****HOSPITAL****, ****DETROIT****, ****MICH.****MARCH 1, 2002**

Paramedics pushed a gurney into emergency. On the gurney was 22 year old Lucy Pierce, her husband Mike followed close behind. As the elevator reached the maternity floor, an American Airlines jet touched down at the airport, Hawkeye and Margaret were anxious to meet Ben and Rachel at the hospital.

"We're about to become great-grandparents" said Margaret, a twitch of excitement and fear in her voice.

Ben made a sharp left into the main hospital entrance and laughed "you two are already great grandparents" he said.

Margaret laughed "that too".

Up on the fifth floor after several hours, Margaret, Hawkeye and co. welcomed ten pound nine oz. Lisa Margaret Pierce and eight pound four oz. Benjamin Franklin Pierce, III

Everyone was overjoyed, Ben and Rachel were grandparents while Hawkeye and Margaret welcomed in another branch on the Pierce Family Tree.

It was a great day for once again, the family tree of MASH was extended and although the Korean War had ended a long, long time ago, the music was still playing.

The book of memories for a group the came together to sit three miles from the front line and slap shot up kids back together was till being written. The group of old war buddies from years ago was still making history in their own special way.

------------

**O'REILLY FARM, ****OTTUMWA****, ****IOWA****: ****JULY 27, 2003******

A long, long time ago – fifty years to be exact – the conflict that was the Korean Police Action was put to rest at Panmujon. The remaining members of a collection of draftees, enlistees and ROTC officers that came together to become the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital 4077, a unit that had bugged out long, long ago, came together to celebrate a half-century of peace and civilian life.

They also came together to celebrate the lives of those members no longer with them and remember the past fifty years, the good, the bad and the neutral

Hawkeye and Margaret along with everyone laughed at the jokes they'd played on everyone at the 4077, the day they met Charles and Col. Potter. They reminisced about the day Frank left, when the war ended and how they all told everyone else what they were going to get up to in the mess tent

Everyone told of how what they had said so many years ago came true in some ways and was off track in others.

BJ and Peg had stayed married for 52 years, had three children and four grandchildren. They still lived in the same house in Mill Valley as they had done when BJ was drafted.

Hawkeye and Margaret had been married for 49 years. It was still boggling to everyone that _they_ of all people ended up together. Trapper admitted he'd never seen a happier couple. Now great grandparents, they were set to spend the rest of their days at home in Crabapple Cove, happy.

Trapper and Louise had stayed together for more than fifty years, thorough three children and many trying times. They had had three wonderful children, all highly educated and top level professionals, and Trap had to admit that he was proud of Jim, even if he was a bit nuts joining the Marines.

Patti sat at the Pierce table, all alone. She was still grieving for Radar, now departed almost ten years; it was hard for her to attend reunions without him. Life does things in strange ways and there was no clear reason why he was taken but he'd had two wonderful daughters and was a granddad—in—lieu to Walter Eugene O'Reilly II.

Since 1971, neither Potter had attended. There was a void left by the absence of a dear sweet old country doctor and his wife. The much loved Colonel from Hannibal had passed forty years ago, never, never to be forgotten by those that served alongside him in Korea.

The Klinger's in attendance to celebrate not only 50 years of peace but also 50 years of marriage. Max and Soon-Lee were grandparents and happy about it, they had both retired years ago, happy. Their chain of restaurants was still in family hands and it made them a nice nest egg.

Everyone agreed that it was amazing how people's lives had turned out. Trapper had stopped womanizing, Hawkeye married Margaret and Klinger came back from Korea.

There was **nowhere** in the world were one could find such a close knit yet spread apart group like this, a group that was made up of people that didn't want to be there and those that did. A group that had been thorough so much together, after such a long period of time, they still stayed in contact.

This was a one—of—a—kind bunch, old war buddies.

------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: ****SEPTEMBER 5, 2003****.**

A half—century had passed since Margaret and Hawkeye had gotten married. In the 50 years that they had been together for better or worse, they had seen some amazing things. Man walked on the moon, a president had been assassinated and many, many things had changed for the better.

Close friends had passed on, parents had left and bad things had happened. However thorough all this, there was one things that hadn't died, the devotion for each other both Hawk and Margaret shared.

"It's amazing; I'd never have guessed that these two would be together at all, let alone after all this time!"

"When Hawk called me fifty years ago, I knew. I just had a Radar moment and knew that it was Hot Lips. He told me the story of 'comrades in arms' as he called it. I'm surprised that your together. I hope you have the happiest of futures and good luck"

"Mom and Dad, you two seem so, so very happy together. You have the most undying of resolves to stay together. I've seen you two fights, but never make much out of it. Fifty years is a very, very long time. I hope I last that long, I have to congratulate you on it, I hope that you have a happy future!"

"Grandpa Hawkeye and Grandma Margaret, you two are totally fantastic. I've never seen anyone with the love for each other as you two have, you are amazing. I hope you have a very happy future and that may you stay forever young!"

After the entire 4077th had congratulated Hawkeye and Margaret on a half century of togetherness they enjoyed a veritable feast and reflected on all they had seen.

They danced to "Love Me Tender" by Elvis and after a long evening, Hawkeye and Margaret retired for the night.

One of the most amazing stories to come out of the 4077th had now been around for fifty years. To all those that were there, it was a wonderful feeling, knowing that something good emerged from the ashes of war.

The entire staff of the 4077th gave their congrats, for things were still going strong for all those people that were there.

------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, MAINE: OCTOBER 10, 2003**

It was a bright, sunny morning in Crabapple Cove, sun poured into the darkened bedroom of Hawkeye and Margaret.

Margaret stirred and looked at the clock: 9.19am. She rolled over to see Hawkeye sleeping, she was happy her marriage had lasted fifty years and thought of all the ugly times in Korea that were now long, long distance memories.

Opening the curtains, she looked over at Hawkeye who was sleeping peacefully.

There was no response when she called out his name. It took less than one second for her to come to the realization that something was wrong, she ran over to him, the thought she feared correct snapping into her mind.

"HAWKEYE!" she screamed, looking at him, resting peacefully in bed.

She looked at him, he'd left as he'd come into the world, a pacifist.

Once asked what he'd liked inscribed on his headstone, Hawkeye Pierce replied "HAWKEYE" – pure and simple, like the man.


	11. The Sword of Time

I am unsure if Col. Potter ever mentioned his character's birthday, but he mentioned in "Settling Debts" (12/6/1983) that his birthday "was last month", so that's where I get that from.

----------------

**MCINTYRE HOME, ****BOSTON****, MASS: ****MARCH 11, 1985******

It was a drizzly evening in Boston, raining yet again. John McIntyre parked in the driveway and squashed thorough the mush to his front door, fumbling with the keys and groceries.

He muttered something as he trod inside. Louise was making dinner; Becky had come east from LA with Jay and her kids for a vacation.

It was good to have some company in the house. Jim had been transferred to Georgia, Cathy was in Canada as an IBM lawyer and the house was all too often empty.

Trapper placed the groceries on the kitchen floor and hugged his wife, who was busy making dinner.

"Did you have a good day?" she asked

"No, not really" John sighed "it's no fun not working anymore. I sit round the house and do nothing; I go out and play golf or watch some TV, its boring"

Louise sighed, "Well…..you need to find yourself a hobby, woodcraft or something. Go to the library and have a look."

He sighed, why? He couldn't be bothered; there was nothing exciting to look forward to in the library.

John got a beer and proceeded to his big easy chair in the den. Becky was reading "People" while John, 18 and Kate, 15 watched TV.

"You know Dad" said Becky, holding up the back page of _People_ "why you try this?"

There, on the back page, was a big advertisement with "LEARN TO FLY" written on it. John smiled "no thanks honey. I've already had one very good friend die in a plane crash and I don't fancy following that same route"

Trapper sighed and thought of Henry. He wondered what the 4077th was like without him, what kind of CO was Col. Potter? Although nearly 35 years had past since he went to Korea, the war had left an impression on the 60-year-ex army captain and surgeon.

----------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: ****JULY 19, 1985******

It was a warm day in the Cove, there was a light breeze and the sweet sea smell filled the air.

Hawkeye and Margaret sat on the porch.

"You know" he said "it's been almost 35 years since we went to Korea"

Margaret looked at him and thought for a minute, "Yeah it is. Wow, in that's a long time, you know…..we've seen some truly amazing things haven't we?"

Looking out to sea, Hawkeye nodded "yes, we have. It was absolutely terrible what with the amount of wounded we'd get and the crummy conditions we had to live in"

Margaret nodded 'yeah, it was hell. But there were a few things that made it better. We'd get R & R sometimes, then there was always the officers club or …..you" she smiled.

"Did I tell you that I drove past Tommy Gilles old house the other day, it looks exactly the way it did when I left. I'll never forget being so happy to see him and then he died, right there in front of me on the operating table"

A tiny tear fell from Hawk's eye; Margaret pulled him towards her and gave him a hug.

----------------

**HOTEL FT. WORTH, ****FT. WORTH****, ****TEX****: ****SEPTEMBER 5, 1987****.**

"Thirty five years" said Hawkeye as he and Margaret sat in the hotel restaurant. They had been together for 25 long years, thorough war and peace, good times and some very bad ones.

The times they had-a changed and things were different than when they first met in 1950. Despite all this time, the war had still embedded its deep fibers in them; Hawkeye was still a bit anxious of small children and didn't like to take the bus.

Margaret was glad to be out of the Army, she never did the big city hospital post she told everyone about in the mess tent. Although she was the chief nurse of Crabapple Cove's most liked doctor's office, which let her get to know the patients better.

She like small town life but often thought of her other family from the 4077th, remembering all those good times she had with Col. Potter, Hawkeye and BJ.

Also with her for life, the terrible memories of the dying arriving on the meat wagon, it came back to haunt her every now and again.

As Hawk and Margaret enjoyed dinner, an older man in his mid-fifties walked away from the bar. His hair was graying, Margaret looked at him, she was sure she knew that face from somewhere.

The man looked back, it clicked after a second or two. "Scully?" she asked

He smiled; a very much older version of the ever pro and demoted Jack Scully both had known in Korea came towards their table.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in" said Hawkeye, who got up to shake hands.

"Hawkeye! What a surprise to see you here with, of all people, Margaret Houlihan"

They both smiled "so" asked Margaret, "what brings you here?"

Scully smiled, "well, I'm in town to see my stepchildren. I got married twice after Korea and took a job in New York. Are the two of you friends?"

"uh….no, not per se' said Margaret, "Hawkeye and I are celebrating thirty five years of marriage"

Jack's eyes almost fell out of his head, he was taken aback "wow, you two, married!"

Hawkeye laughed, "heh, yeah, we have two kids and four grandkids"

"hey, that's pretty good" said Scully, "well Hawkeye, Margaret it was nice to see you and learn how things have gotten on, if you're ever in New York, look me up"

Margaret rolled her eyes "Jack, I don't think so. Don't fool yourself, we had a very minute something and that was almost thirty years ago, I think it's good that you have a life and wish you the very best, other than that, we have nothing in common"

Hawkeye tried to hide behind the menu, not one to get verbally emotive.

"see ya Jack" said Hawkeye.

----------------

**WINCHESTER**** RETREAT, ****CAPE COD****, ****MASS.****JANUARY 1, 1988****.**

The sun shone on the clear, blue ocean. It was a beautiful day on Cape Cod as four generations of Winchesters sat on the deck.

Charles had left the Senate and was now chief medical advisor to the American College of Surgeons. Charles Emmerson Winchester IV was a successful Deputy District Attorney.

Despite being nearly 90 and retired for many-a year, Charles' father was still a powerful influence upon Beacon Hill.

"You know" said Charles, gazing out into the ocean "the sea looks exactly as it did when I flew into San Francisco harbor in '53"

The war still clung to Charles' mind; every now and then he would remember the site of the Chinese musician lying in the triage area.

He'd think about the blood and death and wake up in a cold sweat still haunted by the memories created so long ago.

----------------

**3RD MARINE REGIMENT, ****NORTHERN IRAQ****: MAY 1991**

It was hot, smelly and dusty. A cavalcade of trucks, tanks and jeeps blasted along a dusty Iraqi road, knowing at any second they could be ambushed.

_"Dear mom and dad. It's awful here, the temperature is above 100 degrees during the day and falls below freezing at night; dust and awful smells are everywhere. I'm with a field hospital attached to the infantry; we don't get many casualties luckily._

_I remember Dad telling me stories of Korea and how they would get shelled, flooded with wounded and have no supplies all at once. It must have been horrible. _

_Sleep is a luxury, we live on "C" rations most days and are never in one spot for long, luckily I have a very fine number of people under my command and know I'll be home soon_

_Love always, Cap'n Jim"_

Jim McIntyre sat in the back of a truck, sandwiched between ten other guys and lots of supplies, being an officer gave him no particular privileges on this trip.

The caravan blasted on into the vast expanse of Iraqi desert.

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**1500 DEFENSE PENTAGON, ****WASHINGTON**** DC: ****MARCH 13, 1993******

The Secretary of the Navy sat behind his large oak desk, medals, ribbons and other accolades lined the walls.

Photos of Korea, Vietnam and the Gulf War ships and men posing on the flight deck meant to Jim McIntyre that this man was nothing short of a God.

He leaned forward and fixated his gaze on the 28 year old Marine Corps Colonel that sat before him.

"Now" he said, flashing at a thick dossier on his desk, "Colonel McEnroe"

Jim cut him off, "It's _McIntyre_, Mr. Secretary"

What was this guy wondering? Was he here to crucify me or promote me to General, maybe I being forced into early retirement…… a million thoughts flashed thorough Jim's mind, a hot feeling raced thorough him.

He looked at the Secretary, who had fixated his gaze on McIntyre; Jim assumed he was pissed at being corrected by some puss bucket Colonel.

"Right, McIntyre, I have some business to discuss" he snapped his fingers at the aide, a Marine Corps Captain, standing beside the door, "why don't you go get a coffee" he suggested, sounding more like an order.

The aide spoke up, "thank you Mr. Secretary, but I'm fine" this didn't do good things for him.

Looking at Jim, the Secretary ordered him to dispose of the lower ranking officer.

"Captain, you will stand down so we can talk about things behind your back, is that clear or should I call the boys in Leavenworth"

With the Captain gone faster than superman, the Secretary looked at Jim.

"How long have you been in the Marines son?" he asked, fixating his gaze beyond Jim and at the door.

Jim's heart was racing beyond expectation, was he about to be fired, didn't they like him? Or was he being upped into some policy-pushing staff position, after all these years, they couldn't let him go!

"Almost 20 years" Jim said, his voice shaky……was this it, was he being shoved onto some pension and shipped off into the woods, or as the guys called it the "shut up if you know what's good for you" allowance?

The Secretary eased back in his big comfy chair and looked at Jim, nervous as hell.

"Son, the Marines have given you medical school, a place to sleep and meals three times a day for almost twenty years, what would you say if I told you that you'd outlived your service contract?"

No, no, he can't be saying this. Jim's heart sank and hit the floor; he was fucked, thoroughly and totally shanghaied. Why, why him?

He tried to splutter something in his defense, something to save his ass from being turfed out cold.

"Well, you've got a family don't you?" asked the secretary

'Yes, I've got a wife and two kids" Jim said, a million thoughts flashing through his mind, wondering what he was going to do, how he'd do things after nearly his entire adult life in the Corps.

"Good, and I'll bet you that they don't like you being deployed, going over to some fucked up country now do they?"

The mood of this guy was changing; Jim was nervous and ready to leave.

"No, no they don't"

"Fair enough, what would you say to being appointed to Walter Reed and upped to a Major General? After all, with your impressive service record, what, two silver stars, a purple heart, a combat medical badge, three citations for bravery, very impressive son, son?"

Jim just sat there, frozen and unable to utter a sound. This had come too fast and smashed into him like a ton of bricks. It took a few seconds for him to process it all.

"Yes, yes, I'll accept." he spluttered out, was Five O'clock Charlie back?

The Secretary's face lit up immensely, he seemed happy.

"Great, the last guy we had in the position was a drunk and a pill popper; I'll call up and have his ass sacked. Come see me on Thursday at 11. You like Thai food...….good"

With that Jim left the Secretary's office, overjoyed at the thought of telling Trapper and his family that he didn't have to go overseas anymore and that he would be in a position of extreme responsibility and power.

This was one day where nothing could go wrong!

----------------

**O'REILLY FARM, ****OTTUMWA****, ****IOWA****: ****APRIL 12, 1994******

A short, plump man with glasses and grey hair sat on the porch and drunk his morning coffee while reading the paper.

Radar had aged somewhat in the 40 years since he went to Korea, his face was beginning to sag and his hair was white.

A year shy of sixty, he was still practicing as a vet in Ottumwa, much loved by everyone, including his wife Patti, still looking (in his eyes) as pretty as she was when they first met at Kimpo.

Radar still thought about Henry and his bumbling was of running things at the 4077th, the jokes and good times they shared and his fatherly warmness. Radar missed Henry and the 4077th gang.

Only another few months till the 40th reunion he thought. Patti came outside to catch some morning sunshine before heading to work.

"Morning" he said, giving her a kiss "you know, you still look as beautiful as when I first met you!"

Patti giggled "you tell me that every morning"

A few minutes later, Radar climbed into his truck and headed the few minutes into Ottumwa.

As he pulled out the driveway, he waved goodbye to his wife.

----------------

**HUNNICUTT HOME, ****MILL VALLEY****, ****CA****: ****APRIL 12, 1994******

BJ relaxed on the deck while Peg, Erin and Lisa were inside making lunch and mussing over girlish issues he was never one for. The phone rang, BJ was about to get up when Erin answered.

"Yeah, sure" she said, passing it out the window to her dad.

"Hello, oh hi Hawkeye" he said, "yeah, things are good. I heard from Patti and Radar the other day, how are things in Crabapple Cove?"

Hawkeye assured BJ that things were good and that he'd gotten a letter from Charles inviting him to dinner on New Years.

"Only two months till we reunite, boy, what's it been now, 40 years?" said BJ, doing quick mental math.

"No, uh, 41" Hawkeye told him "It's been a long time I agree"

For the next little while, BJ and Hawkeye talked about the upcoming reunion, family, the latest news and general things.

----------------

**STAN'S GROCERY AND LOTTERY, ****OTTU****MWA****, ****IOWA****: ****APRIL 12, 1994**

Patti walked out of the grocery store and as she loaded the bags into her car something caught her eye. Across the road, stood the fire station, something was up, two fire trucks and an ambulance pulled to the curb.

The driver checked for traffic both ways and then pulled out onto the road; he flipped his lights and siren before accelerating down the street.

Patti watched as they sped off, after a few seconds she went back to loading her groceries into the trunk, hoping that nothing serious had happened.

----------------

**O'REILLY FARM, ****OTTUMWA****, ****IOWA****: ****APRIL 25, 1994****.**

A long procession of cars proceeded down the now sealed road that led to the O'Reilly farm. It hadn't taken long for the word to spread round the country, the 4077th had, for the third time in its long and colorful history, been dealt a swift, hard blow.

It seemed that just minutes after leaving his office for some lunch, Radar's pickup was collected by an eighteen wheel Mack truck at a blind intersection.

From the location of the callbox where a passing driver called the fire department, it was calculated the Radar was just 2/10ths of a mile from his house.

The front yard was full of people, the entire 4077th had turned up, the local press where having a field day, and half of Ottumwa was there. The Army, thorough the Korean War Veterans Memorial Fund, had paid for the service and provided the usual military honors.

BJ, Hawkeye, Margaret, Charles, Klinger and Trapper carried the casket, Radar's two daughters brought up the rear and the Guard of Honor led the group.

"Today, we are once again facing the departure of a much loved and admired member of the 4077th" began Father Mulchay "I remember when Radar, as we called him, tried to put thorough a call, it was hand-to-hand combat. He was such a nice, humorous person. As time went on; he grew up a lot and I still remember the day he went home. The place just wasn't the same without him. Now we are faced with having to say goodbye for good, it is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we must bid him adieu. Goodbye Radar"

Everyone wept as the Father stepped down. He took his seat and watched as everyone cried. Hawkeye sat there, not really crying, not saying much. Margaret looked at him, worried.

"Hawkeye, are you ok?" she asked, looking into the empty gaze in his eyes.

"Ben" she gently shook his shoulder, "what's the matter?"

He jumped a bit, startled out of his deep thoughts.

"Oh, nothing" he said,

----------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: CHRISTMAS, 1994**

"Hawkeye, tell me what's wrong" Sidney sat with Hawkeye on the couch, "I remember this very thing happening all them years ago in Korea, what is it?"

Hawkeye sighed "well if you must know my problems are that one of my best friends is dead, I'm 70 years old and have been forced to give up my medical license. I sit here most days, with just Margaret for company. It's get lonely and boring sometimes"

Listening intently Sidney looked at his friend, obviously troubled by what the past year had bought him.

"Well" he said "Life brings us good times and bad. We must understand why something has happened and deal with it. You're a doctor, and I know it's hard, but I assume you can understand why Radar died, everyone had to Hawkeye. I know this seems rather depressing but it's the truth"

The graying physiatrist looked at his friend and waited for an answer, "You should quit dwelling on the fact that he is gone and remember for what he was. I can't fully understand it myself, but I know this will pass. I've had friends of mine die over the years and I've gotten over it. I'm here if you need me"

With that, he got up and went into the kitchen. Margaret looked anxiously at him, waiting for some kind of confirmation that he was on the road to getting over this.

"Well, how is he?" asked Margaret, a worried tone in her voice

Sidney sighed and sat down at the table, "well, it's not going to be easy, but it should get better, I told him to try and stop dwelling on why Radar had died to remember him for his life. I'm fairly confident he can manage that"

Once again, Hawkeye had to deal with the fact that someone he cared about and liked had departed this earth.

----------------

**ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY****, ****WASHINGTON****, DC: NOVEMBER, 1998**

The group that was the 4077th (now minus four members) gathered around the burial site of Col. Potter, to celebrate what would have been his 100th birthday.

All were now old, grey and retired and in the 45 years since had left Korea, everyone had gotten lives and moved on from the war. There were however, exceptions such as Henry, Millie Carpenter, Col. Potter and Radar. They never got the chance to completely move on from the war or even see the end of it.

"He was such a nice, dear and sweet man" said Margaret "so, it's been a century since he came into the world"

Charles stood silent, he sighed "You know something, as much as I hated him in the beginning for assigning me to the 4077th, I know now that he was such a great person. I told him I'd always be guided by his warmth and humor. Even all these years later, I still hold true to that"

A slight drizzle began to fall, the group stood silent for a few more seconds then shared goodbyes and went their separate ways.

----------------

**MCINTYRE HOME, ****BOSTON****, MASS: ****AUGUST 3, 1999******

It was late. John and Louise -- both now well into their 70s and showing it – lay in bed; Trapper wrote while Louise watched _Nightline_.

"John" said Louise, turning the TV volume down "what is it you keep writing so furiously in that think pad of yours?"

Trapper sighed, took of his glasses and put his pen down, "it's my memoirs"

Trying not to laugh, Louise held it in "memoirs about what exactly?"

Continuing to scratch away at the pad with his pen Trap answered "it's about Korea. I want to put all my memories down and let others see that war isn't how we see it in the movies. I've put everything in here. Henry, Frank, HotLips, the day Tommy Gillis died. It's something I need to do"

Louise looked at Trapper and shrugged it off, she felt that John had put all that stuff long behind him, but she'd support her husband if necessary.

----------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: ****JANUARY 9, 2000**

Less than ten days into the new millennium, when the world and the 4077th were still celebrating and aghast at the wonders to come, something happened.

The year was still young when it happened. Dr. Daniel James Pierce was the last one left, the last one to grace the earth. His beloved wife Joan had died in the thirties, he'd been on his own for nearly seventy years. Colonel Alvin and Jane Houlihan had died in the late eighties, and he was the last one.

In the early morning hours of January 9, he died quietly of natural causes, in his home that he'd lived in for almost a hundred years. He'd seen his only child grow up and leave for Korea young and immature only to return a changed person with the love of his life, his Margaret. He had seen Hawkeye take Margaret into his backyard and promise to love her for all eternity, as he had both his grandchildren.

Every year, the extended family from the 4077th would arrive for a wonderful meal and lots of talking and laughter. The home he would take his grandchildren into the backyard and read stories or play with them, the home where he had formed so many memories and had such a long and happy life would become his final resting place.

----------------

**DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, ****WASHINGTON**** DC: ****JULY 2, 2001**

Dressed in his blue and white dress uniform, four General stars and a heavy medal board decorating it, USMC Gen. James Henry McIntyre walked down a long, corridor.

He knew the weight of the action he was about to take, he'd mulled over it for a few months and decided to finally do it

Jim greeted the Master Sgt of an MP at the door to the Secretary's outer office; he stood at rigid attention in a perfect manner. Jim smiled and told him he was doing a great job and to stand down.

"How long have you been in Marines son?" he asked, with a friendly smile and tone of a drinking buddy instead of the usual hard-core tightly wound military man.

The sergeant relaxed and replied eight months.

The General laughed and said "well sergeant, I recall when I had been in the Marines' that was some 27 years ago. Now, you are very fortunate to probably hear the last words I'll ever give a soldier, if you make yourself proud of your action, which is the most important thing. It doesn't matter what some General like myself thinks, if you make yourself proud to wear the uniform and know you didn't kill anyone then you have done well"

With that, General Jim continued into the Secretary's office where he'd sat some ten years earlier and accepted this job. Now there was a new secretary and a new reason for being here.

"Good morning General" said the new Secretary of the Navy, a broad tall African American, his Naval hat sat on his desk. A photo of a Vietnam unit was on the wall, this man meant business.

"Good morning Mr. Secretary" said Jim as he sat down and crossed his legs, in anticipation of uttering what he'd worked on all week. A hot flash ran thorough his body.

"Mr. Secretary, there is a very specific reason that I am here. I enlisted at the age of 17 in 1974, when we were still at war with the Vietnamese. I've been on five tours of duty, gone to medical school on the Corps' dime and have been promoted 24 times. I feel I've come as far as I can go here, I know I have, you can't promote me again, and I'm almost 50 years old. I want out"

This surprised the Secretary of the Navy; he sat up and took note of what Jim had just said.

"OK, if you really want out, I can work on that today. I think your right, I've looked at your record many times, you've got a whole drawer full of medals, citations and those medal bars on your chest must weight more than an artillery gun"

They made small talk for a few more minutes and after that Jim walked out, having turned in his Marine Corps ID and would now be a free man, free to go out and do whatever fancy took him.

All of the McIntyre children had done well. Becky was a top lawyer for the Government, Cathy worked for the FBI and Jim had just spent that last twenty odd years as a Marine.

They'd make John proud.

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_I do not claim to agree with the spin-off events of September 11 but the next section is dedicated to everyone that gave their life on September 11, 2001 – especially members of the Police and FDNY_

----------------

**HUNNICUTT HOME, ****MILL VALLEY****, ****CA****.****SEPTEMBER 11, 2001******

BJ and Peg were eating breakfast, they turned on the TV. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary in the few seconds before the world came to its knees, as it had done in Dallas all those years earlier.

Then, the first plane struck. Peg screamed as BJ watched intensely, the event registered but nothing was being processed.

"Oh God! What's happening?" asked Peg, not really expecting an answer, she watched as a plume of smoke and fire rose from the tower. It looked like something out of a movie.

For the next several minutes, they watched in silence. Just as they had listened to Walter Cronkite in 1963 report the news that Kennedy had been shot, they listened as they heard the news that would define the beginning of the 21st century.

The thought of a war flashed into BJ's mind, what if his grandkid's were sent to fight?

----------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: ****SEPTEMBER 11, 2001******

Like most around the country that morning, Hawkeye and Margaret sat glued to the TV set. They saw the carnage and horror unfold in front of their eyes, just as it had done at Pearl Harbor and in Dallas.

Margaret was crying, "Oh, why, why, why it's awful" she sobbed, Hawkeye hugged her tightly and stared blankly at the TV.

"Sssshhh, it's OK, it's OK, everything will work out" Hawkeye tried to console his wife; he himself was still trying to grasp the situation.

On that beautiful September morning, the world changed for good and the innocence of the world went out the window. As with events in the past, the members of the 4077th were there to see it.

Like all those that were there to see it, whether it be Pearl Harbor, Dallas or September 11, the world lost it's sense of innocence and protectiveness, for it was (and will continue to be) the defining moment of this generation.

----------------

**DETROIT ****MEMORIAL ****HOSPITAL****, ****DETROIT****, ****MICH.****MARCH 1, 2002**

Paramedics pushed a gurney into emergency. On the gurney was 22 year old Lucy Pierce, her husband Mike followed close behind. As the elevator reached the maternity floor, an American Airlines jet touched down at the airport, Hawkeye and Margaret were anxious to meet Ben and Rachel at the hospital.

"We're about to become great-grandparents" said Margaret, a twitch of excitement and fear in her voice.

Ben made a sharp left into the main hospital entrance and laughed "you two are already great grandparents" he said.

Margaret laughed "that too".

Up on the fifth floor after several hours, Margaret, Hawkeye and co. welcomed ten pound nine oz. Lisa Margaret Pierce and eight pound four oz. Benjamin Franklin Pierce, III

Everyone was overjoyed, Ben and Rachel were grandparents while Hawkeye and Margaret welcomed in another branch on the Pierce Family Tree.

It was a great day for once again, the family tree of MASH was extended and although the Korean War had ended a long, long time ago, the music was still playing.

The book of memories for a group the came together to sit three miles from the front line and slap shot up kids back together was till being written. The group of old war buddies from years ago was still making history in their own special way.

----------------

**O'REILLY FARM, ****OTTUMWA****, ****IOWA****: ****JULY 27, 2003******

A long, long time ago – fifty years to be exact – the conflict that was the Korean Police Action was put to rest at Panmujon. The remaining members of a collection of draftees, enlistees and ROTC officers that came together to become the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital 4077, a unit that had bugged out long, long ago, came together to celebrate a half-century of peace and civilian life.

They also came together to celebrate the lives of those members no longer with them and remember the past fifty years, the good, the bad and the neutral

Hawkeye and Margaret along with everyone laughed at the jokes they'd played on everyone at the 4077, the day they met Charles and Col. Potter. They reminisced about the day Frank left, when the war ended and how they all told everyone else what they were going to get up to in the mess tent

Everyone told of how what they had said so many years ago came true in some ways and was off track in others.

BJ and Peg had stayed married for 52 years, had three children and four grandchildren. They still lived in the same house in Mill Valley as they had done when BJ was drafted.

Hawkeye and Margaret had been married for 49 years. It was still boggling to everyone that _they_ of all people ended up together. Trapper admitted he'd never seen a happier couple. Now great grandparents, they were set to spend the rest of their days at home in Crabapple Cove, happy.

Trapper and Louise had stayed together for more than fifty years, thorough three children and many trying times. They had had three wonderful children, all highly educated and top level professionals, and Trap had to admit that he was proud of Jim, even if he was a bit nuts joining the Marines.

Patti sat at the Pierce table, all alone. She was still grieving for Radar, now departed almost ten years; it was hard for her to attend reunions without him. Life does things in strange ways and there was no clear reason why he was taken but he'd had two wonderful daughters and was a granddad—in—lieu to Walter Eugene O'Reilly II.

Since 1971, neither Potter had attended. There was a void left by the absence of a dear sweet old country doctor and his wife. The much loved Colonel from Hannibal had passed forty years ago, never, never to be forgotten by those that served alongside him in Korea.

The Klinger's in attendance to celebrate not only 50 years of peace but also 50 years of marriage. Max and Soon-Lee were grandparents and happy about it, they had both retired years ago, happy. Their chain of restaurants was still in family hands and it made them a nice nest egg.

Everyone agreed that it was amazing how people's lives had turned out. Trapper had stopped womanizing, Hawkeye married Margaret and Klinger came back from Korea.

There was **nowhere** in the world were one could find such a close knit yet spread apart group like this, a group that was made up of people that didn't want to be there and those that did. A group that had been thorough so much together, after such a long period of time, they still stayed in contact.

This was a one—of—a—kind bunch, old war buddies.

----------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, ****MAINE****: ****SEPTEMBER 5, 2003****.**

A half—century had passed since Margaret and Hawkeye had gotten married. In the 50 years that they had been together for better or worse, they had seen some amazing things. Man walked on the moon, a president had been assassinated and many, many things had changed for the better.

Close friends had passed on, parents had left and bad things had happened. However thorough all this, there was one things that hadn't died, the devotion for each other both Hawk and Margaret shared.

"It's amazing; I'd never have guessed that these two would be together at all, let alone after all this time!"

"When Hawk called me fifty years ago, I knew. I just had a Radar moment and knew that it was Hot Lips. He told me the story of 'comrades in arms' as he called it. I'm surprised that your together. I hope you have the happiest of futures and good luck"

"Mom and Dad, you two seem so, so very happy together. You have the most undying of resolves to stay together. I've seen you two fights, but never make much out of it. Fifty years is a very, very long time. I hope I last that long, I have to congratulate you on it, I hope that you have a happy future!"

"Grandpa Hawkeye and Grandma Margaret, you two are totally fantastic. I've never seen anyone with the love for each other as you two have, you are amazing. I hope you have a very happy future and that may you stay forever young!"

After the entire 4077th had congratulated Hawkeye and Margaret on a half century of togetherness they enjoyed a veritable feast and reflected on all they had seen.

They danced to "Love Me Tender" by Elvis and after a long evening, Hawkeye and Margaret retired for the night.

One of the most amazing stories to come out of the 4077th had now been around for fifty years. To all those that were there, it was a wonderful feeling, knowing that something good emerged from the ashes of war.

The entire staff of the 4077th gave their congrats, for things were still going strong for all those people that were there.

----------------

**PIERCE HOME, CRABAPPLE COVE, MAINE: OCTOBER 10, 2003**

It was a bright, sunny morning in Crabapple Cove, sun poured into the darkened bedroom of Hawkeye and Margaret.

Margaret stirred and looked at the clock: 9.19am. She rolled over to see Hawkeye sleeping, she was happy her marriage had lasted fifty years and thought of all the ugly times in Korea that were now long, long distance memories.

Opening the curtains, she looked over at Hawkeye who was sleeping peacefully.

There was no response when she called out his name. It took less than one second for her to come to the realization that something was wrong, she ran over to him, the thought she feared correct snapping into her mind.

"HAWKEYE!" she screamed, looking at him, resting peacefully in bed.

She looked at him, he'd left as he'd come into the world, a pacifist.

Once asked what he'd liked inscribed on his headstone, Hawkeye Pierce replied "HAWKEYE" – pure and simple, like the man.

----------------


	12. Epilouge

**EPILOGUE: FROM THE AUTHOR**

I sit here now, having finished the most of the updates, additions and revisions to something that I created as an escape from a miserable experience (more to follow soon) I feel very humbled by the masses of reviews and comments that I have received on my works and owe a big thanks to all.

This story, although not perfect in the eyes of some, was modeled on my feelings, thoughts, social and historical knowledge and I've tried to get into the characters shoes as best as possible.

It may come as a surprise to realize that some of the events I write about here are based on various experiences I've had. Some examples: The death of Radar, Margaret and Hawkeye encountering Scully and a few others.

I have tried my best to think how the characters would, but however no matter how wonderful I write I can't fill the boots of Larry Gelbart, Alan Alda and all the other wonderful writers.

I owe an eternal debt of gratitude to MASH, it's helped me thorough some very tough times, given me a lot of laughter, comfort, joy and in some cases, a lot of sorrow.

I hope that my writing contribute someway to keeping that alive.

Again, to all those that have reviewed and commented on my work, thank you very much.

I hope you enjoy my work, and if not, let me know.

-- Ben Hoffman


End file.
